A Place Called Home
by Freedom Rose
Summary: Gavroche is a little guttersnipe without a home and a family beside Eponine. But what would happen, if he survives the revolution? Will he find a family and his place in life?
1. Chapter 1

Hello Guys :D

I am so glad that you find the time to read my story! Please enjoy and have a good time!

Disclaimer: I do **not **own the story of Les Miserablés! Not the book, not the musical, not the movie! All rights belong to Victor Hugo and the producers of the correspondent movie! (Unfortunately)

_It was the day of changing. It was the day of freedom, equality and brotherhood. It was the day of Revolution. For one small person, the whole world was changing at this day. It was a day when he finally found a place to call home. _

The atmosphere around the barricade was sticky with fear, jumpiness and militancy. There was no sound to hear. No voices and no noises. But there was a boy. He was climbing down the other side of the barricade. Without fear he collected the gunpowder of the dead soldiers, channeled his way through junk and bodies. The screaming started as Combeferre recognized that the little Gavroche was missing and no one could find him in the musain. ,,Gavroche come back! Please!" Combeferre, Bahorel and Enjolras were leaning forward and tried desperately to allure him back, behind the barricade which means the only safety they still had. ,,Gavroche! It is too dangerous! Please come back, this instant!" But Gavroche did not seem to hear anything. He was too occupied to collect more of this bale. Enjolras wanted do grab him and pull him back. Gavroche was not only a little gamin for him; he was a member of the Les Amis. He was a friend of all of them. Then Courfeyrac came out of the Musain, where he tried to find gunpowder. As he saw his little friend on the other side of the barricade he wanted to storm off and get him but he was held back by Enjolras. ,,No wait. We can't lose you too!" ,,Enjolras, this is Gavroche! We cannot let him die! O God, please! Have no one mercy!" Courfeyrac was crying openly. ,,No we won't let him die!" Enjolras felt himself almost crying, too. The sheer panic grew inside of him. What was he supposed to do? They all knew that some of them would not survive the night. But it should have never been Gavroche. Not this little boy who still had his whole life in front of him. Combeferre tried to hold Courfeyrac down, but he was struggling so hard that it was almost unbearable. Then they heard a sound of a gunshot. It was so loud that the sound made Enjolras cringed. ,,No! Gavroche come back! PLEASE!" Boussut leaned forward- with stretched arms. ,,Come on!" Gavroche ignored the calls and went further in direction of the soldiers. They could hear him sing his song which Courfeyrac teaches him long ago. It feels like another time then. How youthful and cheerful this time was. How they all craved for these untroublesome moments. The new silence was cut as another bullet glide through the air. But this time it founded his way. Gavroche cringed in pain. The Les Amis screamed and shouted. ,,You Bastards! Let him be! He is only a child!" Combeferre wanted to grab him, but was hold back by Bahorel. ,,We cannot lose you too!" The little gamin turned to them. They could saw the blood streaming down his face. ,,I am alright!", he smiled, ,, it was only a grazing shot!" ,,Come back to us boy, please!" Enjolras stretched himself over the barricade as far as he could, without falling down. ,,Come on!" ,,Yeah, just a moment!" Ambitious of getting more of the cursed gunpowder Gavroche climbed further. ,,Oh you stupid boy!" Combeffere ran to the left side of the barricade, ready to grab the boy if he passed him. Bossuet and Bahorel held Courfeyrac down. ,,First Eponine and now Gavroche! We cannot lose him too!" ,,Bossuet shut up! Eponine is not dead! Joly will fix her! And we will not lose Gavroche!" But the tears in Bahorels eyes betrayed him. Enjolras was next to Combeferre. ,,We have to get him!" ,,How Apollo?" They were interrupted by the second gunshot. It was a nightmare. They heard Gavroche screaming and saw his little body fall to the ground. ,,No!" Courfeyrac fought like a devil against Bahorel and Bossuet. ,,Let me go to him!" Enjolras felt his tears streaming down his face. The boy could not be dead. That was impossible, he was always so full of life, always laughing, always chatting. Combeferre wanted to crawl to him, to pull him back but was pushed aside by Courfeyrac who ran to Gavroche side. Enjolras prayed that the soldiers won't shot. He was not a religious man but right now he would do everything if he could delete the last ten minutes. ,,No Gavroche, please!" Courfeyrac howled pathetic and touched his head. ,,O God please! You bastards! You killed him!" He cradled the boy gently in his arms. Combeferre crawled to his side and pulled him back behind the barricade. ,,'Fere please, let's go." It was a wonder that they made it safely behind the barricade. Maybe the soldiers were shocked that one of them killed a child. ,,Courfeyrac let me have a look at him!" Courfeyrac sobbed hopelessly, while Combeferre warily laid two fingers at the child's neck. Enjolras wished his tears aside. ,,He is alive! Gavroche is alive!"


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you so much for your lovely comment! It made me sooo happy:D

,,What? Please Combeferre help him! You have to save him! He cannot die!" Courfeyrac was shaking and he stroked carefully over Gavroches head. ,,I will do what's in my power! I promise you!" Combeferre was also shaking. It was a different thing to take medical care of someone who was a stranger or a close friend. A little boy along the way. This was Gavroche. The child, who had laughed, chatted and who was full of love. Nothing could bring him down. And now he was lying on the cold ground, bleeding so badly. Combeferre tried to concentrate. ,,We need to stop the bleeding first!" He took of his waistcoat and pressed it on the strong bleeding wound. ,,God dammit where is Joly?" ,,I will go and get him!" Bahorel got up and ran into the musain, where he tried to find the other medical student. ,,We have to get him inside! Enjolras keep pressure on it" Combeferre pushed carefully his hands under the boys back and knees. He didn't want that Courfeyrac carried the boy or keeping pressure on his abdomen, because he was still shaking and crying. Bossuet laid an arm around his shoulders. ,,It's gonna be okay! He is a though boy. He always was you know. Nothing keeps him in line, why would he start now?!" ,,If he dies…Bossuet it was my task to protect him. I failed him!" ,,No! That is not true. It was OUR task to protect him. No one could stop him!" ,,But I should never let it get so far! I should have stop him, throwing myself in front of him…!" ,,Stop it!" Bossuet shook Courfeyrac's shoulders. ,,We couldn't stop him! It was not your fault!" ,,No! We should have sent him away! We should never let him stay here!" Bossuet didn't replay something on that. Deep inside him he knew that Courfeyrac was right.

,,Enjolras keep pressure on that!" He nodded and pressed the waistcoat on the little boy's abdomen. He looked at Gavroches face. He was so pale. Paler then he had ever seen him. He was so motionless, that scared him the most. Combeferre laid him on the next table and stated to unbotten the boys waistcoat and shirt. Both were so dirty, full of holes and blood. Why did none of us recognized it?, Enjolras thought. We should have taken care of him. But he was too busy with his revolution. Enjolras was almost ashamed. His first priority was to help the pauper. He missed that Gavroche was one of them. How could he be so blind? The boy was always with them. He sat with them in the café; he attended little errands for the Les Amis, but no one gave him the much needed attention. Beside Courfeyrac of course. Enjolras swore that he would change it if he would ever get the chance again. He swallowed his tears and kept more pressure on the wound. He was so deep in his gloom, that he didn't notice that Joly was suddenly beside him. ,,My God what happened?" ,,It was an accident! He was collecting gunpowder as they shot at him!" Joly starred at Combeferre for a second before he collected himself and take Enjolras hands from the wound. ,,Oh no! This is bad!" Enjolras looked away. He couldn't bear the view. His hands were already stuck with blood. Combeferre looked at Joly. ,,I thought at a pressure bandage to stop the bleeding. But I don't know if it will be enough! I am afraid that he will bleed to death!" ,,So am I!" Joly looked at Gavroches face. He pulled at one eyelid. ,,He is already fallen into a shock!" Joly opened his medical bag. ,,I hope the bullet has gone through him! Keep pressure on that!" Combeferre leaned the boy carefully forward and pulled the shirt up. ,,Dammit! I can't see an exit wound!" Joly, who hold the boy, leaned down to inspect the boy's back, too. It was full of bruises and old wales. Joly swapped a short glace to Combeferre. For a second there was a silent consent, between the two, that they would follow the topic. But it was not the right time now. Joly looked at Gavroche's back again. ,,The bullet is still in him. We have to get it out. Otherwise the danger of an infection would be to high!" ,,Can you do this?" Enjolras looked at Joly. ,,Yes but the circumstances are rather bad. Eponine got a gunshot wound too, but her bullet got through her back out. It was easier. The chance of a proper healing is much higher." ,,What do you need?" Enjolras sounded so desperately that Joly shot him a short glance. He had never seen their Apollo so worried. Usually his expressions were firmly locked, but right now his face showed despair, fear and sorrow. ,,I am not an accurate doctor yet, but I try my best. Combeferre I need you to assist me!"

,,Courfeyrac, please calm down!" ,,How? Tell me Bahorel how?" ,,Joly is almost a doctor! And Comebeffere is the best medical student in his age group! If someone is able to fix him, it'll be him!" Courfeyrac sat on the ground, tore at his hair. Both looked up as they heard Jean Prouvaire scream. ,,Jean, what is it? What happened?" ,,They're coming! They're coming!" ,,What?" ,,They're back! And they're coming with canons!"

So…I hope you guys liked it! I promise the next chapter will be longer and it will be more Gavroche-fluff:D But I thought that it would be a good ending for this chapter. Please review my story; I love to read your opinion! Thanks xoxo


	3. Chapter 3

A heavy clunk sounded through the air. The rest of the men, who weren't wounded or dead, peeked through the barricade. The fear was almost visible. Bahorel swallowed. The soldiers had indeed canons, and they were directed at the barricade. ,,Oh no! Oh no! Feuilly go and get Enjolras! The others go and get your weapons! It starts!"

Feuilly ran into the Musain. ,,Enjolras! Enjolras!" ,,What?" Enjolras was still standing next to Gavroche and tied his head wound. ,,They're back! The soldiers! They have canons!" Feuilly had lost his wind. He leant against the doorframe, his view on the boy. ,,Will he live?"

Combeferre ignored him; he was too lost in his task. ,,How many?" Enjolras tried to get his old attitude back. Right now he was the leader again and he had to take care of his friends and the members of the revolution. ,,I don't know exactly! Maybe six or seven!" Enjolras throw a short glance to Combeferre who nodded. ,,Come with me!" Enjolras stroked the boys head a last time and took Feuillys arm.

,,Enjolras what can we do? We don't have any gunpowder! There are too many!" Anxious words came from everywhere. ,,My friends the time has come to realize….to realize that we…" Enjolras was lost for words by the thought that there were fighting on a lost cause. This was a shock for everyone. Enjolras, the man of marble, was a speaker; he always found the right words. But now he only stood there, looking down like a scolded boy.

It was Courfeyrack who spoke: ,,We will fight. We will make them pay for every man!" Everyone knows that he meant Gavroche especially. ,,Yes!" Feuilly looked around. ,,We will fight for everyone who was killed by them! We will not give up! We will fight until our end!" Affirmative yelling rushed through the remaining crowd. Enjolras looked up. ,,Yes, yes we will fight until we die!"

It was the man who came last to the barricades who sat there, deep in his thoughts. It was Jean Valjean. He actually came to save one boy. The boy in which his daughter Cosette felt in love. But right know he thought that it would be his biggest crime, if he would only save one boy. So he conspire a new plan. He would try to save as many as possible.

The revolutionists were standing at the barricade, armed with everything that could be a weapon. But it was not much. It never was. There were only a few pistols ready to fire, a few bludgeons, a few bricks. And the students were far away from being soldiers. But they were fighting for their rights and they were ready to die. How could be a dead more meaningful? So as Enjolras was asked by the officer who they were, he replied in his calm, beautiful voice: ,,French Revolution!" The fire started.

It was a massacre. There was so much blood; so many bodies. The barricade was captured in less than a half an hour.

Enjolras and the other survivors tried to help the wounded, tried to get them in the café, where Joly and Combeferre and everyone who knew a little bit of medicine took care of them. But there were so many soldiers, that it was only a matter of time, until they were all dead. Bahorel was the first of their friends who died. Luckily he passed in Feuilly's arms away.

The next one was Bossuet. He was shooted in his back as he helped another wounded friend. The soldiers were everywhere now, so the Les Amis started to yield back to the café. ,,Move guys, come on!" ,,We have to go back! Move yourselves!" Enjolras and Grantaire, who awaked from his drunken slumber, tried to close the heavy door, to keep the soldiers outside, as they saw Marius, who was still fighting outside.

,,Marius! You idiot! Shift your arse!" Grantaire wanted to run to his friend, but he stopped in shock as Marius felt to the ground as a soldier shooted him in his chest. ,,No! Marius!" It was Jean Valjean who knocked the soldier out and grabbed Marius to push him into the café. It was the only safety space for them.

Enjolras and Grantaire closed the door quickly and blocked them. Combeferre rushed to Marius. ,,He is bleeding! Enjolras give me your flag!" Jean Valjean settled himself next to the boy down. ,,Enjolras what shall we do? We're stuck in here!" ,,First get away from the windows! There has to be a second door!" He started to search for a hidden door.

The soldiers were banging on the door. The door moaned under the pressure. Soon it would crumble to the ground. And they were lost. A painful scream let Enjolras winced. It was Feuilly who felt to the ground. The soldiers shooted through the windows. ,,Feuilly no!" Jean Prouvaire rushed to his side. Feuilly was holding his neck. ,,It's gonna be okay my friend. I swear! Joly!" Jean took Feuilly in his arms and started cradling him carefully, just like Courfeyrac did with Gavroche. He was crying. ,,No mon ami, you will not die. Not you!" Feuilly smiled softly. ,,It was a honor to fight at your side my brother.", he spoke with a broken voice. More blood flooded from his wound. Jean pressed his finger at the wound, but deep down he knew that it was useless, so he leant down to his face and touched Feuillys forehead with his. ,,My friend, my friend. God please, show mercy, please!" ,,Jean…it's okay, I will see you again! You can write a beautiful poem about this…Try to persuade a girl with it…just like always…in the old times…" He started wincing. Jean held him even closer and gave him a kiss on his forehead. ,,Sleep mon ami! I am with you." Everyone looked down in shock. Enjolras felt the stinging pain of tear in his eyes again. This is a nightmare. Almost every one of his friends was dead and the others would die soon. And it was his fault.

Combeferre looked at his dying friend. He startled as he felt a soft hand on his arm. He looked in the eyes of Jean Valjean. Wordless he mentioned at Marius who lay unconscious on the ground between them. Combeferre nodded and started to cut the red flag, which was once their symbol of freedom, equality and brotherhood, into two pieces.

Courfeyrack made his way to Gavroche who lay next to Eponine. Both were also unconscious, like they were only asleep. Brother and sister equally united in peace. The moaning of the door grew, and the soldiers started to throw more stones through the windows. ,,Run for cover guys!" ,,We have to go upstairs!" ,,No!" Everyone looked at the sound of the only female voice they heard that night. It was the barkeeper. ,,If you go upstairs it will be your death! You will be mousetrapped!" ,,We are mousetrapped either way!" Enjolras heard Joly never scream, especially at a woman.

,,I know a way out! Follow me!" She made her way ducked to the kitchen and pulled her daughter with her. She stopped for the sink and explained. ,,The sink stands to a direct connection to the sewers. I only hope that the hole will be big enough!" Grantaire stormed forwards and pulled with Jean Valjean the heavy iron sink aside. The gaping hole was not big but wide enough to climb by.

Grantaire hurried to the woman and kissed her affectionately. ,,You're our hero madame!" She blushed but smiled. ,,Thank me later, first we have to get away!" Enjolras was now himself again. ,,Courfeyrac you take Gavroche, Combeferre you'll carry Eponine and Jean…." He looked around only to saw that Jean was not with them anymore. ,,Jean? Jean! Where the hell are you?" Enjolras and Combeferre went out of the kitchen. The other Les Amis members started to climb to the first floor and to chop the staircase. Jean was still with Feuilly, still holding his cold hand. ,,Jean come one, we found a way out! Everyone come on!" Enjolras waved at all the others, but in this second the door cracked. There were so many, they couldn't count. Everything happened so fast.

Grantaire picked the daughter of the barkeeper up and guided her through the hole. He did the same with the barkeeper. ,,Run as fast you can! Don't look at us!" Combeferre ran to the form of Eponine, beating every soldier out of his way. He picked her up and ran almost in Courfeyrack who carried little Gavroche. ,,Be careful 'Fey! He is still bleeding!" Grantaire helped them. ,,Enjolras come on! Shift your arse!" Grantaire was getting angry, where the heck was this boy?

He was still fighting with the soldiers, trying to reach Jean. There was such an affray! So many people. So many glasses and flagons were cast through the room. The soldiers were shooting and the revolutionists tried to defend themselves as much as they could. Jean wanted to go to his leader but he was defeated by the officer. And so found the wonderful artist, who warmed so many hearts with his words, a very unglamorous and very unpoetical death.

,,No! Jean!" Enjolras didn't recognize that the officer made his way to him. It was Jean Valjean again, who saved another life and pulled Enjolras back in the kitchen and try to lock the door. ,,Apollo come, please!" Grantaire pulled at his hand, while Enjolras was still looking at the door. The last thing he saw from the inside of the Musain was that the soldiers shooted through the floor of the second level.

Jean Valjean looked the door and pushed with Grantaire a heavy cupboard in front of it. ,,Boys! Quick!" Grantaire swore that he has never seen a stronger man. ,,Where are..", started Enjolras but Grantaire cut him off. ,,They are all in the sewers! So come on!" ,,Here speaks the Royal Army of King Louis Philippe I! We demand to open this door from you!" ,,Sod you! You Bastards!" Grantaire screamed at the closed door. Jean Valjean pushed both boys through the hole and pulled, as he was in the sewer too, the sink over the gap back. He knew that they would come for them, but the only thing they needed right now was time. The last thing he saw was the sound of the crashed door and then everything went dark.

So…first I want to say I am sorry that there was not much Gavroche-Fluff in there. But I couldn't really imagine a scene to write. I think it was important to describe how they made it out alive. But I promise I will update very soon:D Please review I would love to read your opinion!


	4. Chapter 4

It was so dark, that they could barely see a thing. As Enjolras, Grantaire and Jean Valjean catched up with the others, it was like a thunderstruck for Enjolras. This was his glorious revolution? But the most terrible thing was that these few people were his only friends who survived this drama. He could cry.

,,Where are we?" Joly looked around. ,,Where shall we go?" ,,Straight ahead. We should hurry!" Jean Valjean threw a nervous glance in the direction of the hole. ,,Yeah let's go."

Grantaire pulled his weapon, like Enjolras and formed the rearguard. Jean Valjean led the little group. Courfeyrack strengthened his hold on little Gavroche. The boy was so light, that he barley felt any weight. Combeferre came to his side. ,,We should hurry, I couldn't get the bullet out. He will bleed to death if I can't operate him soon." Courfeyrac nodded and pressed a lightly kiss to the boy's forehead.

The group started to make their way through the darkness. No one talked and if some of them had to, they only whispered.

It was very difficult to wander through the darkness. The floor was bumpy and the water was ankle-deep. The smell was almost unbearable. But the real problems started as they heard stamping and shouts right after them.

,,This way!" ,,Oh no, they followed us! Run!" Grantaire pushed them all forward. Jean Valjean started to run but released the trigger at his weapon in the meantime. He was still carrying Marius. Courfeyrac felt his shirt getting wet with every step he took. But it was not his sweat, it was Gavroches blood. The shouting got closer. ,,God, move!" Grantaire and Enjolras were running.

Then was the first shoot to hear. ,,This way! We will get them!" ,,This is this officer, God he is like dog!" Grantaire this is not the time to make fun!" ,,No, but if won't survive it I will better die with a smile on my face!" ,,Better that than a bottle at your lips!" ,,Apollo, you was funny for the first time!" ,,Shut up! They are still behind us."

,,What can we do?" Joly looked at Jean Valjean. He nodded in the left direction. They ran for minutes, but they couldn't outdistance the soldiers. Then another shot. Grantair hissed in pain. ,,Grantair!" Enjolras pushed him aside. ,,It's good Apollo. It is only a grazing shoot. I'm fine." ,,I heard this already!" Combeferre looked angry at him. Jean Valjean pulled them behind a little bay in the wall.

Their head start they had was getting smaller with every second. Enjolras fired back, so Grantaire and Jean Valjean. Combeferre laid Eponine carefully on the ground, and looked at Grantaires arm. ,,Leave it 'Ferre!" Ferre took his shawl and bound it on his arm. ,,This should work for now." Then another shoot came. And another. But this time it was Courfeyrac who felt to the ground. He hissed and tried to hold Gavroche up. ,,Fay!" Combeferre crawled to Courfeyrac. ,,Are you alright?" ,,Gavroche! I am sorry..I.." ,,Stop it mon ami. He is alright!" Joly took the boy in his arms and Combeferre pulled his friend behind the bay. ,,Where Courfeyrac?" ,,My shoulder, I guess. And my right side." He moaned in pain. ,,Let me see." Combeferre took off his shirt. ,,You won't die. It will hurts like a bitch for some time, but you won't die." ,,Thanks doctor." Combeferre smiled and patted his shoulder.

,,Come on. We have to go now!" Jean Valjean helped Grantaire and Courfeyrack up. Combeferre took Eponine again and Joly carried the little boy over his shoulder. Courfeyrac leaned on Enjolras for support. His wounds did really hurt. But he tried to be strong like all the others were.

,,These Bastards are still behind us, right?" Grantaire whispered to Jean Valjean. He nodded. ,,Yes. We have to leave them behind. Somehow." The little group made their ways through the sewers. The water got deeper and the soldiers were getting closer.

,,Here!" Jean Valjean found an exit, which was looked by a rusty grate. ,,Help him up!" He left Marius by Grantaire and pushed with Enjolras help the grate away. It was a difficult task, they needed several attempts, but after a few shots the grate eased off. ,,Quick!" One by one stepped through the small opening. They pulled Eponine and Marius carefully through the hole. Courfeyrac wanted to take Gavroche but Joly stopped him. ,,Let me carry him. You are hurt." He nodded but went closed beside them.

,,We have to apply the grate again. Maybe we will get some time." ,,They are here! Hurry up!" The stamping was getting louder and they heard shots again. Enjolras and Jean Valjean were still busy to apply the grate. ,,Boy get down!" Jean Valjean pushed him under the water, to save him from the hail of bullets, which pattered on them like rain.

The darkness became a friend of them. The soldiers dropped back. They crawled through the water and catched up with the others. The water was getting deeper. It rose until their hips. Suddenly they heard a swash. Enjolras pulled Courfeyrac up, he was almost unconscious. ,,'Fey! 'Fey wake up! Come one mon ami! Stay awake!" ,,Yes…I am awake..M sorry.", mumbled Courfeyrac. ,,Enjolras, take Gavroche!" ,,Yeah Enji, Joly and me we will take 'Fey." Grantaire took his side and nodded. With highest caution gave Joly Enjolras the boy. ,,Take pressure on his wound. He is bleeding too strong.", whispered Joly.

It felt like hours. They hoped with every step to find an exit but it seemed that the long sewers didn't have any ends. Combeferre ground silently. ,,Are you alright?" ,,Yes, but our Mademoiselle is getting a little bit heavy." ,,Let her never hear that!" Grantaire snuffled. ,,I guess it is not far away!" ,,With all respect, but what makes you think that?" Grantaire looked at Jean Valjean. His forehead was wet from sweat. He carried Marius the whole time without complaining.

,,The water is subordinate. Dou you hear that swoosh? There has to be an escape pipe. Somewhere near!" ,,Here! Look!" Joly pointed to his right side. And indeed, there was a light. ,,Ladys, I think we made it!" Grantaire smiled for the first time that day.

It lasted only a few more minutes until they saw an opening. Jean Valjean leant Marius against the wall and pulled with Joly's help one last time at the grate. Fortunately it wasn't as rusty as the other one. Combeferre and Eponine were the first one who climbed into the light. It was early morning. Combeferre swore that he never saw something more beautiful. It was the morning light, which he thought he would never see again.

He allowed himself to laugh. Right after him climbed Jean Valjean with Marius. ,,We have to keep going. They will look for us!" ,,But where? To our flats?" ,,Joly we can't do this, it is too dangerous. We didn't make it so far just to let us catch!"

Enjolras rubbed his eyes. The light was so bright; they had to be for hours in the sewers. He looked down as he felt Gavroche stirring. ,,Hello mon ami. Welcome back to the land of the living!" He caressed the hair of the boy's forehead and looked at his face closely. Gavroche looked so pale and spacy. He blinked at Enjolras and started to wonder why he was in his arms.

Combeferre saw that their little friend was awake and started to go over them. ,,Yeah Bonjour ma petit!" He laid his one hand gently one Gavroche's shoulder, the other rested on his chin and turned the boy's head carefully to him to watch his face with worried eyes. First Gavroche couldn't identify the person who turned his head, but he recognized at the voice that it was Combeferre. ,,..llo,"he mumbled.

Combeferre came closer and looked at him more intense. He saw that Gavroche had his eyes only half open. ,,Gavroche can you open your eyes for me?" ,,No." He leant his head back at Enjolras shoulder. Enjolras starred astound at the boy in his arms. The healthy Gavroche would never ever do such a thing. Starting cuddling was not his nature. Something was definitive wrong. And it scarred them.

,,Gavroche..," but Combeferre could never finished his sentence because the little urchin suddenly tried to get from Enjolras as far as possible. ,,No stop struggling!" He was afraid that he would let him fall. ,,But…need…puke-" Enjolras displaced him carefully on the ground, where he started to wretch.

There was not much left in his stomach, but he still tried to throw up, whatever afflicted him. Coufeyrac awaked at this sound. ,,Gavroche, hey," he scrambled to the boy and tried to abort any sounds of pain. ,,Stop it mon ami! It isn't helping you." Combeferre kneeled down to be on the same height as Gavroche. ,,It's okay, let it be." He took his hand on his shoulders and tried to pull him up again, they still needed to hurry; the soldiers could turn up every minute, but as he heard Gavroche's yelp he let be him wherever he was.

,,Gavroche?!" ,,My stomach! It hurts so badly, dammit what happened?" They could barely hear him. ,,That's because you were shooted!" Everyone could hear the bitter, almost angry, tone out of Enjolras voice. Combeferre looked dispraising. ,,Not now!" Enjolras snorted and took Gavroche, defiance his severe words, gently in his arms again. The boy didn't struggle this time but laid his head between Enjolras neck and shoulder. ,,I know where we can go to."

Everyone looked at Jean Valjean. ,,Monsier Fauelevant, you did enough for us!" ,,No I own many flats. You can use one of them. It is in the Rue de Lille No 7. Not far away from the Jardin du Luxembourg. You can get there in less than fifteen minutes. The landlady will give you the keys. She is a very good friend of mine, you are safe there. Trust me."

,,Monsier, I don't know…" ,,No it is alright!", Jean Valjean smiled, ,,I am happy if I can help. But I guess the flat is not big enough for everyone, I you agreed I will bring Marius to his grandfather. He will probably be sick for worry."

Enjolras nodded. ,,Yes, but we need to stay in contact. We cannot leave him alone." ,,Of course. I will come back as soon as I spoke to his grandfather and secure his care." ,,Thank you" Combeferre took Jean Valjeans hands. ,,I will come back. I swear."

**Okay…..I hope you guys liked it, and don't forget to write a review and share your opinions :D**

**Thank you soooo much for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

The streets were almost empty, although the sun was already up. Combeferre thought that maybe no one was outside, because the people were still afraid of riots. It was there personal luck. They could go to the street unnoticed.

,,No national guard, I can't believe it!" Grantaire looked after every third step he took over his shoulder. ,,They would not expect us here! In this area."

Combeferre carried almost Courfeyrac on his own, because Joly was in too much pain. Grantaire cursed once or twice but was alright, he way carrying Eponine. ,,How is our brave lady?" Joly gave them a long look. ,,She has not wake up yet. I don't think it is a good sign, isn't it?" ,,Grantaire don't worry. She will be alright, Eponine was extremely lucky, that the bullet did not stick in her. Her body needs rest, that's all." ,,If you say…"

Enjolras looked down at Gavroche. It was impossible for him to say, if he was conscious or not. He didn't make any sounds and hold his face closely to Enjolras neck.

Carefully Enjolras took his hand of the head from the little boy and stroked over his back, watched if the boy would give any sign of life. He heard a small whimper and felt that Gavroche clung to him even firmer.

,,Shh. It will be alright Vroche!", hushed Enjolras. Combeferre throw them a short gaze. They shared the same thought. If they wouldn't find a place to stay very soon, more of their friends would die today.

xoxoxoxoxoxo

,,What do you want?" A corpulent woman in her middle age opened the door. ,,Mr Fauchelevant sent us." ,,It that so?!" ,,Please Madame, we really need help, Monsieur Fauchelevant said that you would be so generous to help us, he will be back in a few hours."

Enjolras watched at her with petitionary eyes. The landlady looked at them. All of them were wet, dirty and full of blood. But her eyes caught the little form in Enjolras arms.

Her eyes softened. ,,Alright, come in. Go through the kitchen straight upstairs." She closed the door vehement not without looking distrustful over the street.

Joly leaded the little group upstairs. ,,You can use these rooms here. And this one for the Mademoiselle.", she looked at Eponine. ,,And there is a bathroom right behind these door, I will bring clothes and towels for you." ,,Thank you so much Madame…?" Enjolras looked at her. ,,My name is Vivienne Rocha."

,,It is us an honor Madame Rocha." Combeferre smiled at her. She nodded. ,,I will learn your name later. Maybe." She went upstairs. ,,What a lovely person." Grantaire looked after the inscrutable Madame. ,,We should be happy that someone is willing to help us."

Combeferre pulled Courfeyrac to the next room, laid him on the bed and started to shake him gently. ,,'Fey. 'fey wake up!" ,,What…I'm good, I am good." Courfeyrac wanted to stand up, but was hold back by the medical student.

,,No, you have to rest, we're safe here." ,,Where's Gavroche?" ,,He's here 'fey." Enjolras turned around so that Courfeyrac could see him from the bed he was lying in. ,,How is he?"

,,He is only asleep. Rest mon amie." Combeferre started to unbotten his shirt to inspect his wounds. They were worse than he thought. ,,Grantaire I need you to go to Madame Rocha. I need some cloths to tie the wounds." ,,I am already here." Vivienne Rocha put a big bowl filled with water and several towels and cloths, carried in the other hand, on the table beside the bed. Combeferre showed her a short smile.

,,I hope you know what you're doing." ,,I am a medical student. I'll try my best." ,,I can help you, if you want. Before I got my harborage I was a nurse." Combeferre looked at her with a glow in his eyes. ,,Yes! That would be wonderful." ,,I will start with the little Mademoiselle. What is her name?" ,,She is called Eponine."

Grantaire, who still carried the poor girl, followed her in the other room. Jolly joined Combeferre. ,,You sure you'll get this?" He nodded. ,,I need my stuff, I can't work properly without it." ,,Maybe Monsieur Fauchelevant can get us a doctor. No fence!" Combeferre smiled. ,,None taken. What about you? How are you holding up?"

,,I will probably suffer from a fever and a life-threatening gangrene, which I will survive. Hopefully." Combeferre laughed. Even Courfeyrac smiled.

,,Oh Joly how I missed your nonsense and hypochondriac!" Joly started with a counteroffensive. Enjolras turned around to see how Grantaire was kicked out of the room. ,,Thank you very much Monsieur but I got this from here!" Madame Rocha closed the door in his face.

,,That lady…" He sat down on the earth, closing his eyes. Enjolras examined him. Grantaire looked so tired, full of blood and dirt.

His gaze dropped down on the little boy in his arms. He started to caress the boy's back again. ,,Roche? Hey kid wake up." He didn't get any response. ,,Gavroche, hey look at me!" This time a little bit louder. ,,Gavroche!" Enjolras pulled the urchin's head up. He was unconscious. His gaze dropped down again. Enjolras shirt was full of blood. But it was not only his. It was Gavroche's.

,,'ferre! 'ferre!" Enjolras panicked. Gavroche could not die! Not after everything they've gone through. But the child would bleed to death, in his arms.

Grantaire was by his side in a few seconds. ,,What's wrong?" ,,I don't know, he was awake for a few minutes!" Combeferre ran out of the room and closed the door, so that Courfeyrac wouldn't see this. He took the boy out of Enjolras arms and laid him on the ground. There was so much blood.

,,Enjolras apply pressure on his stomach." Combeferre carried the little urchin like a doll in the other room, where he laid him on a table. ,,God! I don't have any instruments with me! Go and get the landlady and tell her she should bring me a knife, needles and fibers."

Combeferre tried to stop the bleeding, but there was nothing much that he could do for now. ,,I think you need some help son!" Combeferre startled, turned around and saw an old man. ,,Who are you?" Enjolras looked less happy.

,,I am doctor Lercux. But I think we can introduce later, first we have to save the little man's life." Doctor Lercux smiled at them. He had a very calming aura and something that made them trust him very easily. Combeferre didn't lose time; he explained everything to Monsieur Lercux.

,,He got shoot; a grazing shot at his head and one bullet sticks in his stomach." ,,You did good work, are you a professional?" ,,No I'm a student." ,,Well, then let's begin."

Enjolras saw that Monsieur Fauchelevant was with them again. ,,Thank you Monsieur. We would be dead if you hadn't helped us!" The man smiled at Enjolras. ,,You don't need to thank me, everything is alright. Marius is with his grandfather.", started Monsieur Fauelevant, just to answered the next question. ,,He was very worried about his grandson. But he is in very good hands now." ,,So are we." They shared a smile.

,,Where is the girl?" Jean Valjean looked around. ,,Madame Rocha is taking care of her." ,,She will be alright?!" ,,I hope. Jolly said that she was extremely lucky, but there weren't any bullets in her." ,,Your name is Enjolras, right?" Enjolras looked at him surprisingly. ,,Yes…yes I'm Julien Enjolras. I am sorry if I hadn't introduce myself properly." ,,No, no it is quite alright. I am just thinking that I should learn your names, one by one. So Julien why don't you go and wash yourself, I brought clothes with me, eat something and then rest! We all need it." ,,Thank you Monsieur but I would love to wait until I know that everyone is out of danger."

Jean Valjean nodded. He knew that discussing with Enjolras would be senseless. So he turned to Grantaire. ,,What about you?" Grantaire thought about the offer. ,,To be honest I would like to get out of this clothes and I would love to have drink." ,,That's right." Jean Valjean pulled Grantaire from his sitting position and led him to one of the bathrooms.

Enjolras looked helplessly at Combeferre and the doctor. He couldn't see Gavroche, and to be honest he was glad so he wouldn't see his lifeless face. Joly was still by Courfeyrac, so he joined them. One thing was clear: He didn't want to be alone right now.

Joly never felt so tired before. Courfeyrac didn't give any response. He was deeply asleep or unconscious, he couldn't identify it anymore. His own injuries were also troubling him. ,,Hey mon amie" Hey felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. ,,Hello Enjolras. Come sit with me." They didn't talk at all. Both didn't know about what. The wounds of sadness were too deep to talk about and they were both not ready. Enjolras didn't know if he was ever able to talk about it. For him it was like a deep, black hole that would consume him every second. He could cry, scream or puke.

He startled as the door opened and Dr. Lercux came into the room. They all looked up. Dr. Lercux shirt was also with blood, he looked tired and worn out. He took his glasses of his eyes and cleaned them deep in thoughts. ,,I am sorry to tell you that, but I don't think that the boy will survive the night."

Alright, that's it, but don't worry I will update pretty soon. Maybe in a few hours again, I'm not sure about. But don't freak out. Gavroche will not die! :D

That would be mean.

And thank you so much for your reviews! I want to thank especially mrslukecastellan for your wonderful reviews! They make me so happy =)


	6. Chapter 6

Dr Lercox looked with worried eyes at these two boys. He felt a rushing feeling to comfort them, but he knew that they wouldn't want it, especially the blond young man with the curly hair. As this man past him he felt the urge to reach out, but the boy was already gone.

Enjolras whished that the black hole would already consume him, he didn't want to do this any longer. Watching his friends die, while he was still standing. Why did he live, while everyone he loved was dead or will die? This question throbbed to his head every second of his being. He was the one who should die; no one else.

He found himself standing in the doorway, watching Combeferre how he pressed a cool cloth to Gavroches forehead. He examined his best friend.

Combeferre was crying silently, his tears felt on both of his cheeks down. As he recognized that Enjolras watched him, he didn't wipe them away, maybe because he saw that the former fearless leader also cried.

Enjolras didn't want to sit with them; he feared that he wasn't welcomed in that sad, yet comforting, atmosphere. But Combeferre showed him otherwise. ,,Enjolras." He extended his hand to his friend, whom he took, a little bit with hesitation, but he found the connection somewhat comforting. If he could find any comfort in this at all.

His view found the little boy. He was so pale; his cheeks were also flushed because of the rising fever. Combeferre fondled the boy's hair very softly.

,,Dr Lercox spoke with you?" Enjolras could only nod. He could pretend any longer not to cry. So instead he started sobbing helplessly. He felt that Combeferre took his other hand and squeezed it strongly. ,,'fere I…"Before he could say any other word he was interrupted by a little groan.

Both men looked down just in time to saw that little Gavroche opened his eyes. His gaze showed disorientation again and his eyes were only half opened, but for Enjolras it was the most beautiful view in this godless night. ,,Good morning kiddo." His voice was stuck with unshared emotions, he wiped his tears of his cheeks.

,,How you're doing? Are you in any pain?" Combeferre laid his hand on Gavroche's forehead. The boy was virtually burning up, so he took the wet cloth again and started to wipe his cheeks, forehead and neck with it. Gavroche agitated his head. ,,Vroche I know you have to be in pain, I will give you something against it." The medical student took a spoon and the bottle of Laudanum, while Enjolras watched the boy closely.

He wore some old shirt, which was three sizes bigger than him, he couldn't see his abdomen, and all in all he looked so small that Enjolras felt the rushing urge to protect him. ,,So take this," Combeferre hold the spoon directly to the boy's lips. The fact that he took it without any more resistance showed them that he was indeed not well like he claimed to be. It didn't take long until sleep found him again.

,,I don't understand…He woke up…" ,,Dr Lercox said that it would be a normal thing, to have the last clear mome..:" Combeferre couldn't say more, he broke into sobs again. It was Enjolras who took his hand this time.

Eponine woke up just to be in pain. She groaned. _God what happened? _She thought. Everything was like a big blur.

She saw a fuzzy face over her, which took slowly contours. It was a woman, who looked very concerned but also friendly down at her. ,,Hello Mademoiselle Eponine." She examined her carefully. ,,'llo Madame." Eponine tried to sit up a little bit, but the landlady laid both hands on her shoulder and pushed her down again. ,,No, no you have to lie down for a little while, Eponine, you're hurt. I guess you were at the barricades, right?!"

She could only watch her. Finally she nodded. ,,I thought so." Her voice was filled with disapproval. ,,What happened? Where is Monsieur Marius?" ,,I don't know who you mean. Here are so many Monsieuser, God, like I would learn all this names." ,,What happened?" ,,The barricade was blown away. Almost everyone died. You were extremely lucky, that you live!" ,,Who died?"

Her eyes filled with tears. ,,I don't know Cherie. I will get someone." The landlady left. Eponine sat up, hissed in pain and wanted to follow her, wanted to see with her own eyes what happened, but she was hold back by a familiar voice. ,,No, no you should better stay in bed, my love." She looked in disbelief at the door. There stood Grantaire; without a bottle in his hand he looked rather strange.

,,You should listen to me, the doctor will have my head if you will walk through the corridor." ,,I know you, but I don't know your name." ,,Yeah I bet. This bastard Marius did nothing to introduce you properly! My name is Grantiare." ,,Marius? Where is he?" ,,O shit, you know nothing right, alright let's talk, Marius was shooted," Eponine looked with fear in his eyes at him, ,,ah don't worry, he is a thickhead, he will get through this, like he always does. He is with his grandfather now." ,,They can't stand each other!" ,,I know, but in these times, you know…What else, everyone get a few scratches and bruises, and then there are you and…"

Grantaire chose his next word very carefully, ,,Courfeyrac and so who were not so lucky." Eponine stared at him. ,,They got shooted, just like you, but they are in good hands, Combeferre is with them and another doctor. We were saved by Monsieur Fauchelevant. He took us with him. We are safe here, so don't worry." ,,Did someone die?" Grantaire looked shortly to the door, where Gavroche lay, but didn't say any words. ,,Yes," it was hard for him to speak, ,, but Courfeyrac, Combeferre, Marius, Enjolras, you and me survived. And the landlady and her daughter from the Musain, but they are not with us anymore. They left us for hours ago. "

Eponine tried to digest the bad news. She finally asked the question Grantaire was afraid the most. ,,Where is my brother?" ,,What?" ,,Grantaire where is my brother? You know him. Everyone knows him! He is called Gavroche!" ,,Gavroche? Never heard from him." ,,No, he is small with blond curls, a cheeky little boy but with the biggest heart you can imagine! Where is he?" She wanted to stand up again, but was held back. ,,No wait, he is…"

,,Good Morning, Mademoiselle." Everyone heads turned. It was doctor Lercox. ,,How are you? I am doctor Lercox. It is nice to see you awake." ,,Doctor where is my brother?" Eponine panicked. ,,Don't worry Mademoiselle. Your brother is fine; he is sleeping in the room next to you." Grantaire stared covertly at him.

Eponine seemed to calm down a little bit. ,,May I see him?" ,,Maybe tomorrow. He is asleep now and you should rest." The landlady came to chase Grantaire again off the room. He snorted and went to Courfeyrac and Joly.

,,Hey mes ami. How is our little 'fey?" ,,Shut up, I feel like shit." Courfeyrac lay in bed with Joly by his side. ,,The doctor was here. He stitched 'fey and me up. What about you?" ,,I am good. Where is Apollo?" Joly looked up. The beloved nickname didn't seem to fit anymore, but Grantaire still used it. ,,With the boy. And Combeferre. " ,,I want to see Vroche!" ,,Courfeyrac not now, he is asleep you know. You can see him tomorrow. And you need also rest."

Grantaire looked at Joly. He seemed to be far away. Shocked by the reaction Joly and Dr Lercox showed, he went to see Apollo and the other medical student. And there as he stood at the doorway seeing the boy feverish and completely lifeless in the bed, and Combeferre as he bent over him to dab his forehead with a wet cloth he knew why they all lied. But the most agitated thing he saw was his Apollo who sat broken on the floor, silently crying. And he knew that he was not his man of marble anymore. He was human.

Okay first I am sooo sorry that I couldn't update so soon, but one of my friends celebrated her birthday and I wasn't in the mood to write something sad=(

But I hope you like this chapter and please review

And write me how I should go on with the story, I would love to hear about your ideas!


	7. Chapter 7

Gavroche never felt so much pain in his life before. Even the beatings of his father could never be worse than he felt right now. He opened his eyes slowly. First he couldn't see anything besides blurred figures but then after a few winks he was able to recognize that the blurred figures were Combeferre and Enjolras.

The last one was sitting on the ground; his back leant against the bed and the medical student was sitting on it still holding Gavroches's left hand. Gavroche wanted to stand up, but as he tried, he groaned out in pain. It was a feeling that made him cringed so badly, that Combeferre awaked. ,,Vroche don't move!"

He felt hands on his shoulders but the pain was so evil that he tears up right away. It felt like hot needles streamed through his whole body. But it was his stomach that felt the worst. Every breath he took was full of pain, he was sick, he felt so helplessly that he couldn't hold his tears any longer, they streamed down his face.

,,Ma Petit lay down. Come one." Combeferre tried to push him gently down, but the kid struck with his last powers the medical student hands away. Enjolras hadn't spoken in this time, and he reached out and pulled the boy very softly on his hips down. He looked at the boy's face. Every kind of emotion was to be seen, but the pain and the fear seemed to stick out.

,,Gavroche you need to listen to Combeferre. He knows best. Can you give him something against the pain?" He asked, turned to the medical student. ,,Yes, but I've already given him some Laudanum. I am afraid that, if I will give him more, he will be addicted to the drug. He is only ten, eleven,.." ,,'Ferre we cannot let him suffer. Not if he…" He whispered the last word, did not speak out the meaning behind these words, but Combeferre understood him somehow or other. He took the boy's arm again to inject him another dose but Gavroche flinched away.

,,No my friend I will give you something against the pain. So you can sleep." ,,I don't want to." Gavroches voice was very weak, filled with pain and exhaustion. Enjolras sat on the bed next to Gavroches face. He took his face in his hands and made the boy looked at him.

,,Kiddo you really need to learn to listen to us, especially if it is Combeferre, and right now you need to rest, and that free of pain." He sounded strict and authoritarian like the fearless leader he once was. But his finger wiped his tears softly away, taking all strictness with it.

The boy looked up at Enjolras. His lips were moving but Enjolras couldn't hear any sound, so he leaned closer. ,,Enji..don't leave.." Enjolras was touched. He felt once again tears in his eyes, he leant his forehead against the kid's, one hand caressed his hair. ,,Don't worry Gavroche, I won't leave your side."

Jean Valjean looked at the sleeping boys in the other room. It took him some time until he could convince Grantaire and Joly to leave the side of their friend Courfeyrac to wash them, to get dressed in clean clothes and to sleep. He promised that he would look after Courfeyrac and would wake them if his condition would change.

Jean Valjean looked down at his charge. The boy was sleeping soundly; the efforts of the night had worn him out. His thoughts drifted to the other boy, which condition was much worst. He talked to Dr. Lercox, he told him that the boy would probably die. If he would survive the night, which would not happen, his chances of a recovery would be good. Jean Valjean leant his head on his hand. The boy was so small; he should have kept him there, as he brought the letter for his daughter Cosette, but he wandered off to the barricade. He got on his knees and prayed to God that the boy would survive the night, for the sake of everyone.

**Okay this is very short, but my university started again and I am a little bit busy right now, but the weekend is near, and I am looking forward to write more about Enjolras/Courfeyrac/ Gavroche fluff. Thank you for your reviews, they are so helpful! =)**

**And please review on this chapter and let me know what you think**

**Have a nice day xo**


	8. Chapter 8

It was in the afternoon and almost everyone in the little flat was asleep. Dr Lercox went for hours ago, but promised that he would be back in the evening. The evening and the night are a terrible time for someone who was sick.

Combeferre knew this from experience. He sat still at Gavroches bedside looking at him with worried eyes. The boy hadn't waked up since their last encounter. But every layman could see that his condition was worse. Much worse.

Combeferre tried to cool his running temperature with wet clothes, but it doesn't help much. He was still feverish, his face was still red, and his pulse rate was getting higher with any hour. The kid's sleep was restless and afflicted by nightmares. The medical student sighed. How could everything turned out so wrong? They were supposed to celebrate a new start. A new start for everyone coined of equality, liberty and brotherhood.

But now everything was gone. His whole life turned in only one day. He didn't even have the time to bemoan his fallen friends, friends he will never see in this life again. With the friends he had started studying, spending almost all the evenings and nights together, his friends who are gone now. He couldn't believe it. It would be years until the wounds would start to heal. But the scars would remain for his lifetime.

Combeferre didn't realize that he started weeping. He startled as he heard a small whimper.

,,'ferre?" ,,Hello my boy." Combeferre started to wipe the boy's face again. He looked closely at the boy for any more symptoms. ,,Vroche could you please look at me?" Begrudgingly he looked at the medical student with half closed eyes.

Combeferre remembered that he had asked the boy the question already, as they were out of the sewer. Gavroche hadn't looked at him then, too. Combeferre took his finger under the boys chin and turned it to his face, again. The kid looked glass eyed and showed clear signs of distortion of perception.

,,Gavroche do you know what happened?" The boy looked at him for several moments. ,,Not much.. Monsieur. I 'uess I was shoot." Combeferre bristled with anger. He was so angry with the boy. But no was not the time for it. They would talk later about his asininities, which had almost cost his life.

,,Do you know what day we have?", he asked starting to open one eye of the kid a little bit further. He scrunched away, looking rather painfully at Combeferre.

,,What's wrong son?" ,,It hurt's", it was almost a whisper. ,,What hurts, mon amie?" ,,The light, and I am so sore.", he mumbled. Carefully Combeferre took his head and turned it to the other side, watched it closely. ,,You have a concussion, aroused by your head wound."

He stood up to leave the boy's side and went straight to the windows. Very slowly, to not reinforce the boys light sensitivity, he drew the curtains close. He went to the table where Dr Lercox left some of his instruments and other important supplies for them. Gavroche eyed him carefully. He was so exhausted that he could sleep for days but he didn't dare to go back to sleep. There were only nightmares which would wait for him. They would play with his mind, would make him cry and babbling like a baby.

He didn't want to show any weakness. He could feel that Combeferre was angry with him. Combeferre was never angry with anyone. Gavroche tried so hard to be strong, to act like a man, but he couldn't help that his fear grew with any second. The fact that he was feeling so miserable, so hot and tired, as never before, weren't helping either. The fear gnawed at him, tried to consume him completely. As a street urchin he was supposed to have his full attention, but right now he wasn't able to look straight for more than five seconds without any pain. The fear of the disability of his body and maybe even Combeferre himself made him flinched to the wall as the medical student came back.

Combeferre looked at him with interrogative eyes. ,,Kiddo everything is alright. You don't need to fear me! It is just me!" He couldn't help but felt a little bit hurt as Gavroche flinched from him.

He never thought he would be on this point with him again. It took him many, many months to win Gavroches trust. He hoped that the last night would not have shuttered it. He sat on the bedside very slowly, putting the supplies on the little table beside the bed.

In his calmest movement he pulled the boy back to his place, ignoring the flinching and the struggling. Very carefully he stroked the hair out of the boy's feverish face. ,,You don't need to fear me kiddo. I would never harm you." Gavroche avoid the medical students' intense gaze. He heard him sighing. ,,Oh Vroche, what shall I do with you."

The boy did not look at him at all. Combeferre was clueless about how to go one. He suddenly wished that Courfeyrac would be with him, he always knew how to calm the boy. He was like a big brother for the kid, knew him in- and outside. ,,Kiddo I have to take your temperature now, alright?" He took the thermometer and wanted to hold it under Gavroche's tongue, but the boy was struggling with his hands- trying to kick it out of Combeferres hand. So he hold with his other hand the boy's face still; the fact that the boy wasn't able to fight him anymore let the medical student's worries only grow. With his thumb he caressed Gavroches's cheek; the boy looked away and closed his eyes again.

Combeferre thought about what Dr Lercox told him. It was normal that the boy would run a high fever, as he was still a child and children are used to run a high fever in a very short time, especially in the evening, but it should never be over 100 degrees. _Please let it run low!_

Combeferre took the thermometer and hold it under the little lamp. The little column of mercury showed him that the little boy was running a fever about 101,5 degree. He closed his eyes and swore silently, turned to Gavroche once more. His eyes were open but his gaze was glassy. ,,Vroche…Gavroche can you hear me?" The boy looked at him, still with fear in his eyes.

,,Kiddo, what's up? Since when have you been afraid of me?" He rubbed the boys' stomach very carefully, but didn't get any response. Combeferre sighed and started to pull Gavroches's nightshirt a little bit higher to be able to listen to his heart. Like before his pulse rate was too high and a little bit irregular. He turned Gavroche so he was laying on his stomach now. As he saw Gavroches back again he remembered the old wales. Another subject he would talk about if the kid was up to. _After I gave him a bath! _

,,Gavroche I want you to drink this." He reached over for a glass of water. The kid drank it thirstily. ,,Not so fast mon ami, otherwise you will get sick. Nothing we don't want to, right." Gavroche stayed emotionless. ,,Try to sleep son. You need your rest." This calling seemed to raise the fear in him once more. ,,No!" Once again he flinched from the medical student. ,,Vroche lay down, come here!" ,,No let me! I want 'fey! Where is he? Why is he not with me?" His tears started to spill over. He wanted to choke the urge to cry down, but everything was just too much to handle for the little boy. He didn't have the needed power to wipe the tears away. Combeferre did so. ,,Courfeyrac is asleep ma petite. He will come to you as soon as possible. But I really need you to sleep now kiddo."

Courfeyrac awaked with a startling. ,,It is alright son. Calm down, you're safe." He looked up and saw a man sitting next to him, giving him a glass of water. It was Jean Valjean who sat at his side almost the whole afternoon.

,,Thanks." He took the glass and drunk but cringed painfully as he moved in his direction. ,,Easy. You've got quite the wounds." Courfeyrac smiled a little. ,,I am good, but thanks monsieur."

He looks around. ,,Where is everyone?" ,,Well, I send them all to wash themselves up, eat something and then to sleep. But they are all fine." He added as he saw the regardless worried face of the young men. ,,How is Gavroche?"

He remembered that the boy was not feeling well; he was carried all the way to their sanctuary by Enjolras. Jean Valjean divined that the student would ask about the boy. ,,He is sleeping." ,,Yeah but how is he?"

Courfeyrac knew that something was wrong. If Gavroche wasn't seriously wounded, he would have been playing around, doing some jokes, like he always did. ,,The boy is running a high fever", Jean Valjean started, choosing his words very carefully, ,,he got an infection." Courfeyrac got up instantly. ,,No wait son, you need to lay down." ,,No! I need to go to him!" Jean Valjean knew that discussing the subject would be senseless. Courfeyrac was already up, his face was twisted by pain but nonetheless he went to the door. Jean Valjean followed him, supported him.

,,'fey?! What are you doing up? Go back to bed this instant!" Courfeyrac ignored Combeferre, his eyes stuck on Gavroche who was lying in bed, eyes closed. ,,What's with him?" ,,Courfeyrac, please go back! For the love.." ,,Combeferre what is with him?", Courfeyrac asked again, this time more insistent. The medical student sighed deeply and mumbled: ,,Gavroche is very sick 'fey. His fever is much too high and he is getting weaker by every hour." Courfeyrac gasped. ,,But he will be alright? 'ferre he has to be! This is Gavroche!" He started crying. Combeferre took an arm around his shoulder. ,,'fey go back to bed, please. I don't need you to get sicker, too!" ,,No, I will stay with him!" He balanced to the bed, in which the boy laid. Gavroche looked up at him. ,,'fey?" ,,Hey kiddo. It is me. Everything will be alright. I promise." And as the boy looked up to his closest friend his walls started to break. His bottom lip started to tremble and the tears, he hold so long, were falling down. ,,Come here!" Corfeyrac pulled the frightened boy into his arms and pressed a kiss to his hot forehead. ,,Everything's gonna be alright." He rocked the boy to the much needed sleep.

**Alright, here is the major fluff! I hope you all liked it, please send me your ideas if you have any suggestions about the story. I thank you so much for reading this chapter! A special thanks for **_**Sophie Capulet **_**for her wonderful idea =)**

**Please review and have a nice day**

**Bye Bye **


	9. Chapter 9

"Courfeyrac you need to lay down now." " Not now 'ferre." The medical student sighed. Courfeyrac was lying next to Gavroche, still holding the sick boy in his arms. He was sleeping soundly, the only good thing which Combeferre could say.

"You will do yourself and the kid no good if you're will overexert yourself. 'fey please go back to your bed. I promise I will look after Gavroche." "I know you'll do, but he needs me Combeferre." "He needs you to be strong, but you won't be if you make yourself sicker."

"You sound like Joly." "Don't let him hear that!" Both turned around. It was Grantiare. He looked better, still tired but clean and no longer in big pain. "Hello mon ami. It is good to see you awake". Combeferre went to him and hugged him carefully. He returned the hug but looked over Combeferres shoulder at the bed where Courfeyrac laid with Gavroche. He frowned.

"What's up with the boy?", he whispered at the medical student. Combeferre sighed again. This time much deeper. "His fever is rising with every hour. His body can't fight the infection much longer. Dr Lercox told me for an hour that he may not survive the night."

Combeferre stood with his back to Courfeyrac, so he couldn't see his tears. They agreed that they wouldn't tell Courfeyrac anything for now. Grantaire squeezed his hand shortly in affection and started to walk to the bed and took a closer look to Gavroche. He was asleep; his cheeks were deep red and on his forehead and chest were wet clothes to cool him down. Courfeyrac himself dabbed his cheeks with another wet cloth. His gaze wandered to his friend.

Courfeyrac was pale, looking also feverish and he was holding his side with his other hand. "Mon ami you belong in a bed. Come on." He wanted to grab Courfeyrac but he slapped his hands away. "I don't know if the events of last night blurred your vision, but I am lying in a bed."

Grantaire narrowed his eyes. "You can count yourself lucky that you're hurt otherwise I would grab your sorry little backside and throw you into the next empty bed." Courfeyrac started laughing, also Grantaire had to smile. "Seriously my friend you need to sleep, you're looking not good either and if you want to help the boy," he looked down at Gavroche, " you need to sleep and rest."

Courfeyrac's smile vanished suddenly; he became paler and held his side stronger. Combeferre rushed forwards. " 'fey what is it?" "Nothing!"

" Bullshit!" Grantaire reached over and pulled Courfeyrac hastily buy yet carefully to his side. He pulled the shirt up. "Nothing?! Seriously, you're bleeding again."

Courfeyrac wanted to struggle himself out of Grantaires grip but he failed. As he was pulled up he started to balance and would have fall to the ground if Grantaire and Combeferre weren't there to hold him. "That's enough 'fay. You will go back to your bed. Come on."

Combeferre pushed him out of the room, back to his own bed. "But Gavroche!" "He is asleep. If he'll wake up, I will tell him that you needed to rest and that you will come back again!"

Courfeyrac smiled at Combeferre thankfully. His friend was always so understandable. He noticed barely that Combeferre laid him down again and tied his wound again. "'fey we have to keep an eye on this! Your wound is infected and your fever is rising!" He laid his hand on his friends' forehead. "I am alright, better worry about Vroche." Courfeyrac gave himself into sleep. Combeferre sat at his side and observed him. He hoped for his sake that Gavroche would make it through the night. But deep down he knew, that it was almost impossible, so he did what he could best, he vetted his friends.

* * *

Enjolras was standing on the little roof-deck and was weeping silently.

He supposed to be sleeping for Combeferre's sake but he couldn't find any piece if everyone he ever loved were dead or hurt. He didn't deserve to be alive if his friends paid the price for it.

He was so sure that the people would come. That they would rise with them; for a better morning, a better life. But now nothing left. Everything was gone. He couldn't help but wept as a little child. He thought he would choke, because he cried so hard. He didn't see anything, he tussled at his hair, but he couldn't feel any pain. He was numb inside. Enjolras didn't saw that it was Grantaire who stepped outside and looked at him in pure shock.

"Enjolras stop this! What are you doing?" Enjolras didn't listen to him, so Grantaire rushed forward to him and tried to stop him, but the whole power turned now to Grantaire. He doesn't mind he would have done everything for his friend. So he tried to hold him, to calm him, but it was impossible. Enjolras cried and screamed in absolute desperation, beat his hands again Grantaires shoulders- he didn't want to be comforted, he didn't deserve it. It was all his fault- he was the one who started the revolution, who persuaded his friends to be a part in it.

In pure agony he screamed and cried his heart out, which wasn't heal anymore. It was shattered in thousand pieces, lying on the ground. Grantiare felt helpless, he never saw his friend, his dearest Apollo, on the edge of everything. He was so lost, so said, so broken. It didn't fit him.

All he could do was holding him, trying to keep him from harming himself and to comfort him in any possible way. "It is my fault! Everything is my fault! I should surrender, because EVERYTHING is my fault." It happened very fast. He didn't saw it coming but in the next second he was holding his cheek and looked in neat shock at Grantaire, who had beat him never before. "Don't you EVER say that again! Don't you dare!" Enjolras couldn't help but cried much harder now, if it was any possible.

"WE are your friends Enjolras, we are grown-ups! We knew the risks from the beginning! We fought for the better cause! Not only for you! We fought WITH you, because you are our friend!" "But they're dead because of me! Feuilly and Bahorel and…" "Stop it oh I will strike you again! They gave their life for what they believed in! It would be a sad thing to thank them for their victim if you want to surrender yourself! WE still need you! Whether you like it or not! You're our friend, and WE won't let it happen!"

Enjolras didn't want to hear another thing he just cried and Grantaire pulled him once again to his shoulder, buried his face in his hair and let him cry. No words could be spoken to take their grief away. Enjolras was almost fainting for crying so hard. "Enji stop it, stop it mon ami!", Grantaire whispered into his ears, but earned only more crying. "Everything will be alright, my friend. You'll see!" "How Grantaire? How?" Grantaire didn't know any answer. Time couldn't erase everything.

They don't know how long they sat on the ground, but as it started raining Grantaire knew that it was enough. "Come on my friend! We have to go inside." Enjolras was still numb, but he did not cry anymore. He didn't move either. So Grantaire pulled him up, carrying almost all of his weight on his own.

He didn't know how to fix Enjolras so he hoped that Combeferre would be able. He was so much better in this than he was. "We need you to get to 'Ferre and then you will go straight to bed." Normally Enjolras would have objected to obey Grantaire and to be patronized by him, but the numbness was like a veil around him, separated him from everything and everyone around. It was Grantaire who screamed his name in shock as Enjolras knees gave away and he fell to the ground, pulling his hand from his side, which was full of his own blood. "Enjolras! No! God, don't do that to me! Combeferre! Stay awake mon ami, please!"

* * *

Jean Valjean was sitting in the carriage. He spoke with one of the medical students; he guessed he was called Combeferre that he would go home for a few hours. First of all to see his beloved daughter Cosette, and then to get a few hours of sleep for himself before he would come back for the students. What had happened in this night? How many people found their death tonight? They were so young. They were children. They didn't last the night. Did they not have had a family? A sweetheart they had owned? A life to live? How could it be go one from now? Jean Valjean didn't know the answers. He only knew that he would help them, no matter what. And he would start to talk with Marius Grandfather about it. Together they would find a way to protect them and to keep them safe. Even if it would be the last thing he would do.

* * *

"Enjolras look at me! Look at me!" Grantaire slapped Enjolras cheek gently but certain. "Grantaire what happened?" Combeferre stormed out of the flat. "He broke down! And he is bleeding!" "What he told me he wouldn't be hurt!" Grantaire laughed evil. "Since when can we trust Enjolras when it comes to the thing to take care of himself?!"

"Enjolras?! Enjolras can you hear me? Answer me!" The latter looked up at the medical student, very dizzy. "Enjolras, where are you hurt?"" At my side." "How did it happen?" "The sewers….the shoots.", he mumbled. "You stupid fool! You could have killed yourself!" "Grantaire not now! Help me carry him!" Combeferre carried his friend in bridal style through the flat to the room where little Gavroche lay.

They set him onto the second bed, which was used by Grantaire to sleep. Combeferre pulled Enjolras shirt up to inspect the wound. Luckily it was not a bad wound at all, but because no one took care of it, the bleeding got stronger. "Enjolras I have to stitch it up, but before I have to disinfect it with alcohol. It might sting!" Enjolras nodded and closed his eyes. As he opened them again, he saw that only Combeferre left. The latter saw his questioned look. "He left Enjolras. He is really pissed at you. And to be honest I am with you, too. How could you conceal your injury? We lost too much friends tonight!" "I am sorry. I wanted you to take care of the others first." "The most stupid thing you've ever done." Enjolras closed his eyes and turned his head aside as the alcohol made contact with his wound. He didn't open them again, shortly after that he felt asleep. The last thing he recognized was that Combeferre stroke his remaining tears from his cheeks.

Grantaire marched the corridor up and down as he waited for his friend Combeferre to show up. It was about an hour until he came out of the room, so tired that he couldn't walk straight anymore.

"Enjolras is alright, he is asleep now." "Fine." Grantiare was still walking. ,,'Taire, please let him explain!" Grantaire turned around. "I really tried 'ferre. I really did! He was outside, crying his eyes out, trying to surrender himself to the police! And then he concealed that he was wounded! I…I don't know what to do anymore! He does a shit about himself! Does he not know how much we care about him?!" "Yes he knows," Combeferre sighed., "he is just too proud to admit it." "Well fucking perfect! I don't care!"

"Grantairre please! He gives himself the fault for everything. For everyone who died, he is thinking that he doesn't deserve any help. He is thinking that we will cast him out for everything that happened." "Bullshit! We would never do that! He should know that by now!" "It is Enjolras he doesn't think straight when it comes to his feelings. You have to understand him. He is desperate, tired of everything, his hope is shattered into thousand bodies."

Grantaire bristled with anger. "It was not your dream that was killed tonight." Combeferre looked at him with sad, tired eyes.

"But my friends were." Grantaire turned around again. He felt that familiar prick in his eyes. He felt a hand on his shoulder, squeezing softly; he knew it was the medical student. "Enjolras needs us more than ever Grantaire. He needs you. I know you're angry. I am too. But if we act angry with him, screaming at him, ignoring him, he will hole up into his shell house. He will think that we are angry at him because everything is his fault; that we would punish him because we hate him and wouldn't want him in our life anymore, which is NOT true. But he would think that. So we need to be extremely careful around him, but trying to act like normal, let him know that we are here for him no matter what happened next."

Grantaire turned around and looked up at Combeferre; his friend who was always so wise, so full of understanding. He looked at him intensely. "You're right. Combeferre go to bed. You need sleep. I will take care of Enjolras and Gavroche. Although I should really smack them! I should give them both a beating, which they would never forget; Enjolras for playing everything down and Gavroche for playing a stupid hero in front of the barricades!"

"'Taire!", Combeferre tried to fight a smile back. He knew that Grantaire would never, ever raise a hand in anger against one of them, especially at Gavroche. "Let them rest. They need it. And have an eye for the boy, he is running a very high temperature. Wake me up if it goes any higher than 101,5 degrees. And for God's sake be nice to him, he is so afraid for everyone, but he needs desperately to rest." "Yeah, don't worry. I'll take care of him. Go to bed mon ami!"

Combeferre squeezed his shoulder again and went to find a little bit of sleep. He knew that it would be a very long night for him.

**Okay. That's it for now. I hope you liked it. I don't know if you like the reaction of Grantaire, but I guess that he acted a little bit more impulsive than the others. Please leave a comment and thank you for reading my story and stuck with me!**


	10. Chapter 10

Grantiare moved to little Gavroche's side and looked down at him. His face was so red and his hair stuck on him, wet from sweat. As Grantaire started to wipe his face again, the boy stirred.

"Shhh. You're good lad, everything is fine." Gavroche started to flinch away from him- he understood now what Combeferre meant. "There is no particular reason why you should be afraid of me." The boy eyed him carefully.

"Here drink this," Grantaire gave him the cup of water. Gavroche drank it thirstily. "Not so fast, buddy." He stroked his finger through the boy's hair and caressed his head slightly. Gavroche couldn't help but leant slightly into the touch. He didn't know why he was so afraid of everyone, but he couldn't help it either. But this little comfort Grantaire gave him was just irresistible.

Grantaire looked at the other bed. Enjolras was sleeping soundly. He always looked so young when he slept, that Grantaire thought often that he was still a youngling, which he was practically anyway.

His view turned back to the boy next to him. "What's up with you? Why are you so afraid of anyone?" Gavroche seemed to shrink into the comforter. He didn't look him in the eye. Grantaire sighed; he shouldn't question the boy now. He would do that later. "Where is 'fey?"

"He is asleep lad. But I am here with you." Gavroche eyed him suspiciously. "Gavroche, why don't you sleep a little bit? Combeferre will have my head if your fever will rise." The boy looked up at him. "I don't want to sleep.", he mumbled. "Why?" Grantaire knew the answers already, but he wanted to hear it from the boy. Combeferre told him once that it would be better for the sufferer if he would speak about his nightmares, but Gavroche didn't speak or look at him. So Grantaire took the cloth again and started to wipe his face and neck again.

The next time as Gavroche awoke he felt absolutely awful.

He was unbearable hot, dizzy and he felt sick. He didn't know how long he slept, but he guessed not very much long, because Grantaire was still sitting in the chair next to his bed in the same position as before. With his head in his hands, it was impossible for Gavroche to say if he was asleep or just exhausted.

Gavroche wanted to stand up, he was hoping that the dizziness would fade, but it was only worse. He needed to puke. "Vroche, no. Lay down lad." But the boy started to retch. Luckily Combeferre had placed a bucket next to the bed, so Grantaire grabbed it and hold, just in time, under Gavroche's face.

Gavroche felt so miserable, he started to weep. Grantaire sat on the bed next to him, took his arm around his shoulders and spoke words of comfort. "It's alright Vroche! Just let it out, kiddo." "It hurts." "I know. It will be better when it is out." Grantaire spoke from his long time experience as a drunkard.

"My head…", Gavroche wanted to touch his head but there was a hand that grabbed his softly. "No do not touch your wound! You have a concussion, so don't touch it." Gavroche continued crying. Everything was like a blur for him and it scarred him. But Grantaire was also scarred. For a short time he was thinking to take Combeferre back but remained in his position. The medical student was so worn out; there should be no reason to disturb his sleep if he, Grantaire, could also comfort the boy.

"Gavroche come here!" Very gently, as the boy was made of glass, he pulled him upon his lap and wrapped a blanket around his trembling shoulders.

"It is good lad, just sleep. You're so tired and you really need to sleep." "No, please, don't make me sleep again.", whimpered the kid. He had rested his head against Grantaires shoulder, like he wanted to hide there forever.

Grantaire stroked his back of the head and continued to whisper murmuring words into his ear- he could feel the emissive heat of Gavroches body that made him almost sweat, too. So he took the wet clothes again and started to cool him down. The boy tried to cringe from the wetness but Grantaire hold him even closer-giving him no room to escape.

He started to rock him softly stop-go, and Gavroche seemed to calm a little bit. The evening turned into the night very slowly. It was around eight o'clock as Grantaire deflected the weight of the little boy into his arms. "My legs are getting numb," he mumbled and wanted to lay the boy in his bed again, but suddenly he started to squirm that Grantaire had to take care in not dropping him.

"'Vroche what is wrong with you, let it be?!" The boy was so silent and apathetic that Grantaire thought he would be asleep, but now he was kicking and hitting, although it didn't hurt Grantaire, but the boy gave his remaining power into something absolutely inappropriate. He mumbled something into Grantaire's shoulder, but he couldn't figure out what it was. "Gavroche, calm down. Everything is alright!" He pulled him closer again, although the boy was almost unbearable hot against his chest.

The last strength seemed to fade away because Gavroche was now whimpering and grabbing his shirt. Grantaire could easily break the kid's hold but he would never have the heart for this. Gavroche was like a little brother for the whole Les Amis. Or for remain.

So he started something Combeferre would have killed him for. He took the weeping batch in his arms and started walking the room up and down, rocking him softly and tried to calm him. And after a few minutes Gavroche started to calm down fantastically. He was still whimpering but not weeping. Grantaire continued.

After a few more minutes he settled himself with Gavroche on his lap on the bed down. "Drink something mon ami." The kid hid himself further into his protector; this behavior was so unusual for him that Grantaire looked worried down on him. "'Vroche what's wrong?" He didn't know if it was the fever or just the exhaustion or everything together. He was not good at this. This was Combeferre's job or Courfeyrac's. They were so much better in that than he was. At all bad events Gavroche started puking again, but so worse that Grantaire feared the little boy would fall apart.

He wondered that Enjolras haven't woken up yet; probably Combeferre calmed him with laudanum. "What going on, here?" It was Joly who came to the bed, kneeled in front of him. "I guess it is my fault," Grantaire confessed after Joly pressed his hand at Gavroche's head to feel for fever. "I walked with him through the room. I shouldn't…" "Now mon ami, it would happen either way, it is his concussion, mixed with fever, laudanum and pure exhaustion." Gavroche barfed one more time. "No let it be Gav." The boy was puking gall now.

"What's going on?" They all looked up; they hadn't recognized that Enjolras was standing in front of them, lightly balancing. "You! You will go to bed this instant! Combeferre told me everything about your stunt! Play up!" Joly hustled Enjolras to his bed. "No, wait. What is up with the boy?" Joly didn't answer him, he pushed him down. "Joly please!" At his begging voice the medicine student looked him in the eye.

"He is not well. His condition is worse than before." "What can you do? Where is 'ferre?" Enjolras looked disorientated through the room, looking for his best friend. "Enjolras lie down and rest. You give us quite the scare, here. And to answer your question Combeferre is sleeping now. Something you should do too." "But..!" "No buts this time! Sleep!"

Joly went back to Grantaires side who was still holding the little gamin in his arms. "His fever is so high!" Joly took the thermometer and hold it carefully under Gavroche's tongue. The boy was being apathetic again. Grantaire looked at Enjolras who lied on the bed but with an erected upper body, watching with worried eyes at Gavroche and Joly. He tried to be angry with him, he really was, but he found out that it was almost impossible.

"Oh my gosh!" Grantaire looked at Joly, who starred at the thermometer in disbelief. "Gavroche has a fever about 104 degrees. We have to cool him down now!" Joly went away to the bathroom to make an ice bath for the boy. Grantaire hold the boy closer. He was not a believer but right now he prayed for the life of the little boy in his arms.

**I hope you like this chapter, if you do please leave a comment! And thank you for reading this. **

**Xo Freedom Rose**


	11. Chapter 11

Combeferre woke up as he heard someone screaming. It was a muffled scream and he knew right away that the voice belonged to Gavroche. As fast as he could he ran into the room to see that the bed was empty.

"Gavroche?" "We're in here, Combeferre." It was Joly's voice. They were in the adjacent bathroom, Joly hold the boy in the bathtub up, while Grantaire washed the most necessary dirt from Gavroche. Combeferre knew immediately that something bad had happened.

"His fever..it rose so fast. I thought… an ice bath" Joly seemed lost for words. "Yes. It is alright, but be careful he shouldn't fall into a shock."

Gavroche was not really awake. He seemed to be delirious and tried to fight Joly's hands away, which was holding his arms, so that he wouldn't hurt himself. They waited for a few more minutes before Joly took him very carefully out of the bath tub into Combeferres waiting arms which were holding a towel. As soon as the boy was in his arms Combeferre walked back to the bed and laid him down to towel him and dress him in another shirt Madame Rocha gave them before. The kid was whimpering, but half unconscious.

Enjolras sat upright in his bed; looking worried to them. "'ferre?" A part of Combeferre wanted to ignore him, he was still angry at him, that he didn't tell him about his injury, but Enjolras voice sounded so desperate and small that he gave him a short look. "Enjolras I try my best."

Gavroche woke up from his delirium as he felt thousand needles bored their way through his skin. It hurt so much that he started to scream and to fight; it was so cold that he wanted to get out of this water with all his might. And he was afraid; he couldn't swim so he would drown. But there were hands which supported him and holding him above the water. There were voices he knew but he couldn't identify them or see their faces.

And then he was being lifted and it became only colder as his skin met the icy air. There were arms around him and a voice in his ear but he couldn't hear any words. His whole body was hurt and sore. Every muscle screamed of pain and exhaustion. There were times where he felt like he was on fire, and then like he was placed down on ice. Sometimes he recognized Combeferres voice, which spoke words full of comfort, sometimes it was Grantaire's. But he missed the person he trusted most.

" 'fey…Courfeyrack." He wanted to scream the name out loud, but the person never showed up. So he drowned in the now welcoming darkness again.

As Dr Lercox made his way to the flat again, he found one boy, he thought his name was Grantaire or something, cowered down on the stairs. He made his way slowly up to him and examined him carefully.

He looked awfully tired, and as if he was crying. Dr Lercox knew that all of them live through the trauma they had gone through. It was horrible, he heard about people talking and what he heard was beyond his imagination. So many young men found their death. "Good night monsieur."

The boy looked up to him and wiped his tears away in a very quickly motion. " 'Evening doctor." "What happened?" Grantaire looked up. "It is the boy Gavroche. He is running a higher temperature."

Dr Lercox sighed deeply. He'd already know that this would happen. The kid was wounded so badly, that the chance of a proper healing was impossible. But there had been still a little spark of hope in him that the child would get better, but as he heard Grantaire's words he knew that it was soon over. The only thing he could do now was to create a little time for them, so that they were able to say goodbye to the kid, to make a proper farewell. So he kneeled down on the stairs in front the young man, ignoring the moaning of his old bones, and patted his knees.

"I will see what I can do for him, but if it is his time you have to let him go." Grantaire started crying again. This couldn't be true. It was Gavroche they were talking about. "But he woke up this morning." Dr Lercox patted his head. "The human body works in mysterious ways my son. Shortly before it goes to sleep forever he will mostly have a clear moment. It is like the nature created a way for us to say goodbye to the people we love. So if his time will come you have to be there for him, alright?" Grantaire nodded and started to look down again.

"How are the young mademoiselle and the other wounded boy?" "Eponine is asleep; she doesn't know about Gavroche, he is the little brother of her you know, and Courfeyrack is also asleep. He doesn't know it either…but…but…he is so sick and Combeferre wanted to wait until…" His body was shaking from all off the sobs.

"It is alright son. Try to rest a little bit." Dr Lercox patted his shoulder one more and went to the little flat of Monsieur Fauchelevant. He entered the room where his little problem child laid and saw the medical student sitting on his bed, caressing his cheek carefully. His view wandered through the rest of the room. There was another man; he supposed that he was the former leader of their revolutionary. He looked at him, but his gaze was tired, a little bit confused and also feverish. Dr Lercox harrumphed silently. Only the medical student turned around. "Good evening."

Combeferre nodded at him. He couldn't find any words right now. Dr Lercox understood and went to his side. "How is our boy?" Combeferre watched him as the doctor sat slowly on the chair next to the bed and checked him for fever. "It is about 104,7 degree. We gave him an ice bath and it was better but for an hour or so his condition is getting worse." Dr Lercox nodded. "You did everything you could. It is not in your power anymore son. It is in God's hands." Combeferre was just looking at Gavroche. As a medical student he knew when it was better to stop fighting. Just to let go. But he couldn't. Gavroche was so young. Combeferre knew that if Gavroche would die tonight he would also lose another friend called Courfeyrack.

The moon was standing high on the sky as Courfeyrack woke up. He saw Joly sitting next to his side, deeply lost in his thoughts. "Joly?" The latter looked up and smiled at him. "You're awake! That is good! How you're feeling?" "Sore..and to be honest I am really in pain. But how are you and the other? What is about Gavbroche? Is he up and about? I guess he is already complaining, because Combeferre is holding him in bed. Like last year as he got that cold and Combeferre didn't allowed him to get out of the bed until they were almost fighting." Courfeyrack had to smile at this memory. Only now he saw that Joly had tears in his eyes.

"Joly? Joly what is wrong?" Panic grew in his chest. Joly never cried without reason. He panicked quickly but never cried. "Joly tell me what's wrong!" The latter looked at him. "No nothing is wrong. I am just shaking up a little bit. You know…" Courfeyrack expression softened instantly. "Oh my dear friend." He pulled him in a Courfeyrac-bear-hug. Joly couldn't tell him about the boy. Courfeyrack would never leave his side, ignoring his own gashing wound at his side. "I will give you something against the pain." "Ahh no I am good. I'll gulp it down." He started to sit up. " 'fey What are you doing?" "What do you think? I want to see Gavroche!"

**Oh sooo sad to write this. I am sorry for this late update, but I was sick and it took a while. I hope you liked it and feel free to comment!**

**Best wishes**

**Freedom Rose**


	12. Chapter 12

It was around four o'clock as Jean Valjean awaked. First he didn't know why he was still so tired and exhausted but then he remembered the night. He remembered the barricade, the fight, and the boys. Especially one boy, he guessed he is called Marius, who was in love with his daughter. Oh his sweet Cosette. A part of him was lucky for her, he wished her the best and he knew that Fantine would have been so proud of her. But on the other side he didn't want to lose his daughter. But he has to help them. He couldn't abandon the boys; they needed the help of him and Marius's grandfather. They have to find a way to get them through this. There were still the National Guard and Javert, who were looking for them, no doubt. But he swore to God that night before that he would help them, even if it would be the last thing to do.

* * *

Dr Lercox looked down at his problem child. It wouldn't last long from now on. The child was lost in his delirium and he wasn't accessible anymore. Not that he was it properly before, but he laid there as if he was sleeping.

He looked next to him at the medical student. Combeferre looked also at the boy, but his expression was motionless. He would be a good doctor one day, Dr Lercox thought, but he needed to stand above some things like that. Many people, even children, died. But maybe it was harder because he stood in a personal relationship with the child. It was never easy to let go, especially if it was a child.

Gavroche was such a sweet boy. His blonde locks stuck wet at his forehead because of the fever. But never less he had been a wild child, a little rascal with a good heart. Another poor soul. He startled as the medical student moved to the boy and pulled carefully his shirt up. He started to inspect the wound, which was definitive inflamed. He touched it carefully.

"What….what is if we try to disinfect it with alcohol?" Dr Lercox looked at him. "We've already tried it in the beginning. There is no use in it anymore. It would only mean more pain for him." "But we can try it again. We'll cut the skin deeper than the actually wound and then we'll disinfect it again…"

"He'll bleed to death before we have the chance to stitch him up again." "Then we will burn his wound out! They did is in the field hospital!" "My son I understand if you want to do everything but,…" "It is not about me, it is about Gavroche! This is the last thing we can do for him! I will not watch him die without even trying! I will never be able to look Courfeyrack in the eyes again if something happened to this boy." Dr Lercox examined him. He saw the determination and the urge to do something. "Alright, but keep the chance low. Otherwise it will hurt only more!"

* * *

"Grantaire keep him down and hold him! He will struggle and he will fight but he has to lie down, alright!?" The latter nodded. "What can I do?" Enjolras watched Combeferre. "Enjolras you really need to lie down. You need to rest!" Combeferre saw the hurt look in Enjolras eyes and sighed. "Fine but sit down on the bed. You can help Grantaire to keep a strong hold on 'Roche!" Combeferre and Dr Lercox started to prepare everything. They decided that Combeferre would do the cut and Dr Lercox would flush the gash with alcohol. "Here!" the medical student passed a leather belt to Grantaire. "What shall I do with it?" "Gavroche has to bite down on it. Otherwise he could bite his tongue off!" Combeferre took a deep breath. It was his most important task at his time as a medical student. So he started to cut.

* * *

Gavroche felt like someone was poking him with a hot knife. The pain was beyond imagination. Everything hurt and he couldn't figure out why he was in so much pain again. It started to get better. The fever made him weak but he was slipping deeper into this sweet nothingness. But right now the pain was so strong that he started to scream and to fight with every remaining power he owned, which was not much. The pain made him blind and deaf. At some point he could hear voices around him, but he didn't know where they came from or from whom. There were hands that caressed his head but he flinched from it. Finally he sank into this sweet nothingness.

* * *

Courfeyrack stumbled as he heard Gavroche's cry of pain. "Joly, what.." No, 'Fey you need to go back to bed. Seriously!"

"Let me! I want; I need to go to him!" Courfeyrack ran as fast as possible into the next room. "What are you doing? What is wrong with him?" Combeferre didn't look up, he was too concentrated to do the cut, but he cursed internal. This was something Courfeyrack should never see.

But he didn't have the heart to send him away. He loved that boy so much. "My son, you really have to listen to your friends; you should stay in bed!" "Not until I know what is wrong with him!" Courfeyrac stumbled to the bed and kneed beside the bed, where Gavroche laid. Joly supported him and swapped a short glance with Combeferre. "He is so hot…why is he so hot? You told me that he was fine, that he is only sleeping!"

Courfeyrack laid a hand on the child's head and caressed his hair. The panic and sheer fear was too clearly to hear. " 'Fey, please!" Joly wanted to pull him up again but Courfeyrack pushed his hands away, only looking at the child. "Then at least sit down!" Grantaire stood up from the bed and placed the latter on his former place. Courfeyrac hold the boy and prayed that God would not take his beloved child away.

Combeferre sweated. He tried so hard to do his very best that he felt the sweat streaming down his face. The bleeding was strong and Dr Lercox had to burn the wound out- the smell was disgusting. He was just glad that the child was out like a candle in the wind. He heard him screaming before and his heart was crushing down into thousand pieces because he was the one who caused the pain. After they stitched the wound up again, and flushed it with alcohol one more time, they pressed a new cloth on his stomach. Dr Lercoy sighed. "That's it. It's up to the boy now if his body can handle the fever."

He stood up and left the room to wash his hands. Joly excused himself too and said that he would look after Eponine. She was unconscious again and didn't know anything about her little brother's condition. Joly was very glad for this.

"Apollo up with you, you need to lay down." Grantaire pulled him gently, but firmly up to his feet and to his own bed. Enjolras let himself leading, something he would never do under normal circumstances, but they all needed a new definition of normal. Courfeyrac lingered at the child's side, stroked his sweaty hair from his face and dabbed him carefully with a wet cloth. They stayed in their position for the next few hours.

* * *

It was about seven o'clock in the morning as Combeferre was rudely awaked by Courfeyrac. "Combeferre! Combeferre wake up! Come on!" The medical student jumped up right away, in fear that something bad had happened, as he saw the tears on his friends' cheeks. "What..?" "It is his fever." Courfeyrac smiled. "I guess it had broken!"

* * *

**Soo here we are. I could never kill Gavroche off! But maybe…. =) No kidding, Gavroche will not die, maybe someone else will.. or not. **

**Thank you so much for sticking with me and especially for all the lovely and funny reviews! They're making me sooo glad guys. **

**Bye everyone**

**Freedom Rose**


	13. Chapter 13

Combeferre could cry for happiness, the fever was finally broken. He had to take the boy's temperature twice because he thought that he would dream. He was still running quite a temperature with 100,4 degrees, and under normal circumstances the medical student would have been worried but right now a stone, so heavy, felt from his heart.

He felt strong arms around him, it was Courfeyrack. "Thank you mon amie, Thank you so much!" "It is good 'Fey. I don't want to make any promises but I guess Gavroche will be alright for now!" He laughed silently.

Courfeyrack sat next to Gavroche again and was holding his hands and kissing the child's forehead. "You'll see, everything's gonna be alright Vroche! You'll see!"

Joly made his way up to them, also smiling. "Courfeyrack you should lay down again. You're feverish and you need to rest!" He sounded stern and Combeferre looked at his friend with more intense. He was the one who cared about Gavroche, while Joly looked after Courfeyrack, and now he saw that the other medical student was right.

Courfeyrack was very pale and sweat formed on his head. "No! I want to sit with him until he wakes up!" " 'Fey don't be an idiot. The boy needs you up and about!" "Precisely because he needs me I'll stay!" "Precisely because he needs you, you have to rest and lay down!" Combeferre sounded angry and that happened very rare.

Courfeyrack looked hurt and the medical student regretted his little outburst. "Look 'Fey, you really need to sleep. But if you wanted to be with him, than at least lie down and rest, you can have an eye on him. But after the boy woke up, you'll go to your own bed!" The latter smiled sure of victory and took his place carefully next to Gavroche.

* * *

As Gavroche awoke his whole boy was sore and everything hurt. He was also sick to his stomach and everything was spinning around him, but the child also noticed that right next to him was a warm presence.

He blinked twice and realized that it was Courfeyrack. Gavroche smiled and wanted to slip to him but stopped immediately as pain, so strong, drove through his whole body. He couldn't help but whimpered, although he wanted to be strong and act like a man.

Courfeyrack opened his eyes; he only wanted to rest a little bit and didn't want to sleep in. As he heard the little pathetic whimper he woke up right away. "Gavroche! Hey mon petit! You're awake!" The latter stroke the boy's hair from his forehead slowly and bent down to give him a slightly kiss. Gavroche starred at him. "Hey little man, everything is alright! You're safe and you don't need to worry. I am with you!"

Gavroche couldn't help but cried. Everything was just too much in this situation, his fear and the pain, and he desperately wanted to be consoled by the man he considered as a big brother. "Oh kiddo!" Courfeyrack pulled the child carefully in his strong arms and started to stroke circles on his back. "Shhh child, everything is alright! Please stop crying you don't need to fear me or the others. Everything will be alright. You're fine!" He never stopped with his words of comfort and let Gavroche cry into his shoulder.

"Hey little cracker, what's up? Are you in pain?" He looked down at the child in his arms and saw how Gavroche shook his head in negation. "You're fibbing! I know you are in pain." He smiled softly at him to let the boy know that he was not angry at him at all and called out for Combeferre. He felt how the child moved over much closer to him as if he wanted to hide behind Courfeyrack's shoulder.

"Kiddo what's wrong, it is only Combeferre! Since when are you so shy around him, mhm?" He didn't get any answer of him. The medical student took a seat next to them and stroke carefully over Gavroche's back. "Hello petit!" He felt him shaking through the blankets. "Gavroche need a pain reliever, can you give him some laudanum?"

"No, don't want to!" They almost couldn't hear him because his face was pressed into Courfeyrac's shoulder. "Hey Gavroche why not? Why should you want to suffer in any pain?" Combeferre wanted to take the boy's head into his hands, so that he could look at him clearly, but Gavroche managed to snuggle even deeper into his protector's side and Courfeyrack had to bear down a moan of pain as the child hit his wounded part accidentally.

Combeferre looked at them, he felt a little bit hurt that Gavroche didn't trust him; he thought this streak wouldn't exist anymore, not after his fever was running lower, but apparently he was wrong. But on the other side he was very worried about the boy; it was so not like him. And he had a feeling that it wasn't only about his sickness.

"Gavroche what is wrong? Why don't you want to take laudanum?" The kid ignored him. Courfeyrack swapped a short concerned look with the medical student. "Vroche come on, we will both take it, alright?" Courfeyrack wanted to turn the boy in his arms around and finally Combeferre was able to spoon him with calmative. Soon after that he fall in Courfeyrack's arms asleep, his face buried deep in his friend's neck.

"Combeferre what is wrong?" The medical student sighed and took two wet clothes again- one for Gavroche and one for Courfeyrack. "Here, we have to keep an eye of the fever." "Combeferre..?"

"The boy is in this state since he woke up. I think he has a deep trauma. It will take time until he'll be fine again." Courfeyrack hugged his little charge even stronger. "But he'll be fine again, won't he?"

Combeferre looked at his friend. Courfeyrack was not well; he looked feverish and so tired.

"Of course he will. Don't worry, we'll fix him. But why don't you lie down for a little while. I will take care of the boy." "I want to stay with him!" "Courfeyrack, do I need you to remember, that we made a deal?" T

he latter looked pissed, and was pouting like a little child. "I can't remember, I think the Laudanum…"

" 'Fey..!" The medical student used his stern voice very rare and it was impressive every single time. "Alright…but you have to promise me that you'll look after him and that you'll wake me if something happens or if he needs me!" "I swear, and now go to your own bed, you can't lie down here properly and you need to rest and sleep mon ami!" After he took his friend to his bed again Combeferre took his seat on the edge of the bed again and thought about a way how he could allure the boy out of his shell.

* * *

Eponine woked up with a gasp. First she didn't know where she was but then everything came back to her.

"Bonjour Mademoiselle. Please calm down, everything is alright." Eponine looked at her right side. A well-known man was sitting next to her bed. It was Enjolras. They had talked in the café before but only cursory and short. Enjolras was far too busy to talk with, and Eponine was always very shy around the others, beside Marius and eventually Grantaire.

"Bonjouir." "Are you in pain, do you need me to catch Joly or Combeferre?" "No, I am fine. Just a little bit sore. What happened?" Enjolras looked at her. He didn't know how much he should say.

"You fainted and Dr Lercox told us that your body needed the rest and so we'd let you sleep." "What time do we have?" It was impossible to say because the blinds were closed. Enjolras looked around. "I guess it's eleven o'clock. The second day after.."

"Oh..Did I sleep so long?" She looked astounded. She had never slept so long in her whole life, not that she could remember. Then she startled. "Where is Gavroche?" She stood up and would have fall to the ground if Enjolras didn't catch her in time.

"Be careful Mademoiselle." "No I want to see my brother! Now!" "Your brother is sleeping!" "What is wrong with him?" Enjolras looked at her. He didn't want to upset the young Mademoiselle. "He is..he was.." "He is WHAT?"

Enjolras looked down at her. "He had a very high fever..but he is fine now. Combeferre told me that he is out of the woods!" He said the last part very fast, as he saw how Eponine paled. "I want to see my brother. NOW!"

* * *

**That's it for now my dear readers. Thank you sooo, sooo much for all the lovely comments and for sticking with me. I hope you liked this chapter and let me know what you think. The next chapter will be about the healing process of Gavroche and a little bit more about Eponine. **

**Best wishes**

**Freedom Rose**


	14. Chapter 14

**(Hello everyone, I am sorry that I didn't update so fast but I made this chapter longer for you, I hope you'll like it! It is mostly about Gavroche and his feelings and fears. Please enjoy!)**

Combeferre was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear Eponine and Enjolras entering the room. As he heard the yelp from Eponine he turned around. "What..? Enjolras what's going on? Mademoiselle you really need to lie down and to rest, you were seriously shot!"

"Thank you for your care Monsieur but I want to see my brother. He was shot? How?" The young woman hurried to Gavroche's side and run sat on the edge of the bed.

"Gavroche got soot because he…" Combeferre couldn't tell it. Enjolras did.

"Because he was so stupid to climb down the barricade to get the remaining gun powder and then he got shot by one national guard." "What?" Eponine started to cry again and the medical student threw an angry glare at his friend. "But he is on the way to get better."

"Oh my brother, my poor brother. Monsieur please you have to help him!" Eponine stroke Gavroches hair carefully from his head, and kissed him gently. "He will be alright Mademoiselle. I will be here at his side and take care of him but you need to go back to your bed, Gavroche needs you up and about."

Eponine looked at him. "But he is my brother, he will need me too." "Of course he does and that's why you should sleep for now, Gavroche will be alright and if he wakes up I will come and get you alright?" Eponine looked at him and then back at Gavroche. "O my petit." Enjolras took her carefully by her shoulder, to guide her back into her room, while the medical student took his place at the child's side and started reading in a book he found.

* * *

"Monsieur how could this happen? He was safe; at least I thought he was. So why is he wounded now?" Eponine sat on the bed and wished her tears aside. Enjolras sighed and took a seat on the chair next to her. "He wanted to be brave and mostly he wanted to help us, but he..Combeferre was the first who saw him climbing down the barricades but it was already too late." Enjolras cringed at this memory, how much he wanted to forget it.

"He provoked them a little bit but there was this bloody bastard who shot him first at his head, but Gavroche was lucky it was a grazing shoot, and then another one in his abdomen. Mademoiselle I want to be honest with you it was pretty close. There was a time where we thought we would lose him." Eponine sniveled. "What happened then, how did we get out of this hell?" "We barricaded us into the café and…"Enjolras couldn't talk about his friend's death. It was much too early. "We escaped through the sewer." "Did you carry Gavroche?" Eponine turned around to have a better look at him.

"We helped each other. Mademoiselle you should sleep now, I need to go to see Joly and Courfeyrack." Enjolras stood up and was about to leave as Eponine whispered: "Thank you, for carrying my brother."

Enjolras smiled at her shortly and walked away. He needed desperately to know how his friends were.

* * *

He found Joly with Dr Lercox by Courfeyrack, who was asleep. The laudanum Combeferre gave him and the boy seemed already to have an act on him. "Hello son, it is good to see you up and about."

Dr Lercox gave him an affectionate smile, but the worry didn't disappear out of his eyes. Enjolras nodded at him but directed his view on his hurt friend again. "Don't worry Enjolras, you know 'Fey he will be up and about in a few days. His fever is lower than it was tonight, so…" Joly smiled for the first time, since he heard the good news about Gavroche. Enjolras shared it and now he was actually able to have a good look at Joly.

He had already known how his best friend looked like. Combeferre had scratches everywhere and on his right cheek was an ugly gash, but otherwise he was fine; Joly had a cut lip and a black eye, probably from the fight with a soldier. A piece of glass stuck into his thigh, that made him limping but beside from that he was alright. For Joly's circumstances he was surprisingly calm. Enjolras was sure that his hypochondria would come later, much to Grantaires` entertainment. The sight of his friends was like a balm for the soul but Enjolras also wanted to see someone else, who was as much important as Joly and Courfeyrack.

"Do you know where Grantaire is? I want to talk to him." "Oh no…no fighting-not now!" Enjolras had to laugh. "No don't worry I just want to talk to him, nothing more and nothing less." Joly looked suspicious.

"Alright then. I guess he is in the kitchen with Monsieur Fauchelevant. He came for a half an hour." "Thank you my friend." With that Enjolras made his way to down to the kitchen. He smelled eggs and bacon and he couldn't help but felt the urge to eat something. "Good morning Monsieur."

Jean Valjean turned around and smiled at the sight of Enjolras. "Good morning my son. I am glad to see you walking again. I also heard that the child is awake and out of the woods?" "Yes, he is sleeping." Enjolras wondered that Jean Valejean, a foreigner, was so worried about them all. He was like saint. He _was_ a saint.

"I've already talked with Grantaire that I spoke to Monsieur Gillenormand, Marius' grandfather." "How is Marius?" "He is fine, very weak and sleepy but he will be alright in a few weeks." Enjolras nodded satisfied. At least one friend was going to be alright. "Monsieur Gilliomard spoke to a few friends of him and he arranged an escape way." Enjolras looked up. "I know it is too early to speak of, but I thought it would be an opportunity to think about. It is not safe for you in Paris any longer. You should start new. All of you." "Where shall it be? We have nothing and no one." "Don't worry about that. It is still too early, first you should rest and heal, but we thought of London or maybe America. It would be far away and no one would recognize you." Enjolras looked at his friend, who gazed back. Maybe it was an opportunity for them to begin again. The question was: Did they want to start again?

* * *

Combeferre put his book aside as he heard Gavroche stirring. He looked up at the clock at the wall and wondered that the boy only slept an hour. He gave him so much Laudanum that he should wake up sometime in the late afternoon.

So he lent forwards and watched the boy closely, maybe it was only a stirring in sleep but Gavroche's eyelids fluttered. The medical student toke one hand on the lad's head and tried to scoot him back to sleep. "Shh kiddo go back to sleep. Everything is alright."

But unfortunately Gavroche seemed to be upset as he heard his voice; he flinched and beat Combeferre's hand away. "Wow easy kid, you're fine- everything is alright." He examined him with worried eyes, as their view met, Gavroche looked down instantly.

Combeferre thought he could break the ice while giving him a cup of water, which the child drunk thirstily. "Where is Courfeyrack?", he murmured. "He is asleep, but he was with you most of the time." "Is he badly hurt?" Combeferre was glad that Gavroche didn't look him in the eye- the lying was much easier. "Don't worry child, he is up and about in no time, just need to rest." "But he will come back?"

Combeferre took the cloth again and wanted to cool him off, but Gavroche flinched away again. "Vroche whatever you fearing, stop it! And of course will 'Fey come back. He just need the rest, just like you, so you should go back to sleep." With one hand he held his charge so that he wasn't able to crawl away and with the other he checked the boy for fever. "You're still feverish and should have a hell of a headache. Are you sick?"

Gavroche shook his head but regretted it right away. The medical student looked with such an intense view at him that he looked down again. "Are you in pain?" "No Monsieur." "You're lying!" Combeferre sounded angrier than he actually wanted. The boy jerked.

"Gavroche there is no need to play the hero again. You did that before!"

Gavroche felt just so miserable. Every move he took was hurting him and he was so dizzy that he could barely hold his head up, and his stomach was on fire. "I am alright", he whispered. He didn't want to be weak, especially not for the others. He was also afraid of the students, he could feel their anger towards him and wanted to hide behind his guardian again, but Courfeyrack wasn't there and Gavroche was worried about him.

He couldn't help but felt his tears threatening to flow down his cheeks again. "I am fine; I don't need your help Monsieur." Combeferre wanted to turn Gavroche's head into his direction but the child was being bullheaded again. Combeferre felt helpless; he never had to deal with a sick Gavroche alone before, every single time he did before his friend Courfeyrack was with him. It never had been so bad before. He didn't know how 'fey was able to calm the frightened and deranged child, but he had no clue.

"Gavroche," he sighed, "please listen to me. I just want you to be up and about again but I can't help you if you won't listen to me." But Gavroche choose to ignore him again. It was like talking to wall. Combeferre decided that if Gavroche didn't want to speak he wouldn't talk to him either.

He ignored the struggles from the boy and laid the wet cloth on his forehead again, took his book in his hands and pretended to read. But after every third word he looked up at the boy, just to see him suffer in misery. Combeferre felts so helpless that his bowles cringed in pain. The child didn't want to be comforted by him, he didn't want to talk and sleep either. "Gavroche listen.."

But the boy turned on his side, whimpered in pain as his wounded side came in contact with the mattress. Combeferre sighed in frustration and tried to read in his book again.

* * *

Gavroche couldn't sleep. He closed his eyes but sleep wouldn't come. He was so tired, his mind so fuzzy but a part of him didn't want to sleep, it wanted to be awake to realize if something or someone would harm him, and not giving in, in the sweet salvation called sleep. The fear assigned in his heart and didn't let go. He heard how Combeferre turned the pages of his book but his presence didn't comfort him, far from it, he wanted to be alone.

He missed Courfeyrack and his sister so bad that he could cry. Combeferre didn't make any attempts anymore to talk to him or to comfort him and a part of the boy was eased that he didn't try and another part was afraid that he made the medical student angry. As he heard footsteps entering the room he tried to conceals further in his blankets. He heard Combeferre talk to the person and he recognized at his voice that it was Enjolras.

* * *

Enjolras knew instantly that something was wrong as he saw his best friend's frustrated expression. "What is wrong?" Combeferre put his book aside and went to him. "Is something wrong with the boy?"

He couldn't help but felt panic and his heart bumped faster.

"The child isn't sleeping. I know it sounds not so bad but he really should. He can't rest properly and that is what his body needs.", whispered Combeferre so that the kid wouldn't hear him.

"Why can't you give him some laudanum?" "That is the thing, I've already gave him something, and I don't know how he manages this to be awake but he shouldn't be. He doesn't talk; he can't be touched or comforted without flinching and jumping so badly that he cringes in pain. I don't know what to do honestly, Courfeyrack is the one who is on good terms with the boy."

Enjolras looked from his friend back at the lying form in the bed. The former leader knew that Combeferre was the peacemaker who couldn't be strict or harsh with words. He saw the medical student rarely in such am exhausted position.

" 'Ferre, why don't you rest for a little while. I will take care of Gavroche." "No mon amie, you're the one who should sleep. You're still hurt." Enjolras smiled sarcastically. "Yes and you are the blooming life yourself!" The medical student had to laugh. "Yes maybe you are right. But wake me if something happened." "Of course", Enjolras gave him a friendly slap on the shoulder and waited until Combeferre was out of the room.

Slowly he sat on the bed beside Gavroche. He saw that the boy's shoulders were shaking as if he was crying, but couldn't hear any sounds. So he did the only thing that would calm the boy. His mother did it to him a long time ago, a time where he was still a child, where he thought that he would still be safe in his mother's arms. How wrong he was. Carefully and slowly he laid his right hand on the boy's shoulder and rested it there, so that Gavroche knew that he was not alone. Nothing more. First the child tensed up but after a few minutes he relaxed slightly. Gavroche didn't fall asleep but he felt unstressed for the very first time that day.

Enjolras didn't know how long he sat on the bedside next to Gavroche. The boy didn't stir or talked, but he knew that his little problem child wasn't asleep or dozing off it was more in a state of shock.

* * *

Enjolras was the one who started to nod off as he heard a painful whimper, so piteous that he was wide awake and sat straight in the bed trying to turn the child around. As he saw Gavroche's face, which was distorted with pain in a grimace and who was drenched in tears he pulled the kid up in his arms. "Vroche tell me what's wrong!", he demanded.

It was a sign of complete repression that Gavroche told him right away without discussing it first. "It hurts. My stomach and I have to.." Enjolras understood instantly and grab the bucket next to the bed. He held the trembling child while he puked miserable in the bucket. He started coughing and as Enjolras pulled Gavroche's hand from his face he saw that there was blood in it.

He cursed silently as the child started to cough again. A noise let Enjolras looked up and he saw Grantaire standing in the doorway with a bowl in his hand, probably some soup for Gavroche. "Garantaire go and fetch Combeferre." The latter stormed out of the room. "Shhh, it's gonna be alright Vroche, just lean on me, yes that's right." He pulled the boy closer and tried to comfort him.

"What happened?" Combeferre entered the room, he looked still sleepy and he wasn't wearing his tie which Jean Valean gave him earlier. "He is coughing blood now." Combeferre hurried to the boy and took his face with caution in his hands to look him in the eye. Gavroche looked the medical student for the first time in the eyes, and Combeferre's heart melted away as he saw the hurt and the tears in them. " 'ferre it hurts." "I know ma petit. Enjolras lay him down," Combeferre pushed his friend beside to examine Gavroche.

"His wound is bleeding a little bit but nothing much to worry about. When started the coughing?" "Right after he puked." "This could be a deeper reaction provoked by the retching.", he murmured. "But he is alright now?" Grantaire stand a little bit aside but was white as a ghost. Combeferre nodded but not with much conviction.

"Gavroche on a scale from one to ten; how high is your pain?" Gavroche lost the eye contact with the medical student again. "Gavroche!"

"Maybe four." They could barely hear him. "What was that?" "Maybe five." "Come again, the truth this time!"

Enjolras could hear the oppressed anger in his friend's voice. This was unusual; actually it was him who would become angry, although he never screamed at a person beside Grantaire.

"Nine, do you want to hear that?" "The truth would be a start, don't you think?"

Combeferre laid a hand on Gavroche's forehead, ignoring the flinching. "You're fever is also rising again." Combeferre tried his softer side now, his usually character trait. "Please Gavroche your body needs desperately to rest. Sleep now, please. I don't know how you manage to be awake despite the amount of Laudanum I gave you earlier this morning but you should give in now. I know you are so tired that you can barely keep your eyes open, so just give in."

Gavroche ignored him again.

"Are we there again, Gavroche? Ignoring me and my instructions for you to sleep? I tell you something, I won't sit here and watching you suffer while your conditions is getting slowly worse and won't do anything. We tried to save your life for the last twenty-four hours and you will not, I will repeat myself, you will not risk it again, do you understand me?"

Gavroche was shaking but didn't say anything. "So you will take more Laudanum and if not, I guarantee you that I will shift it down your throat!"

"Combeferre let me try." Enjolras pulled his best friend carefully up and took his place. He knew that the medical student was tired and exhausted. And the medical student was worried for his friends and the little boy, but also grieving inwardly over his lost friends. They didn't even have the time to moan for them.

And then there was Gavroche who rejected every help and medical instruction, but Gavroche was only a child, he was scared and traumatized to the bone, a child who saw and experienced too much. "Gavroche is there a reason why you don't want to rest or sleep?" Gavroche found the ground much more interesting than anything else. Finally Enjolras heard a whisper, so soft and so quiet that he didn't understand it first.

"What did you say petit?" "I want to see 'fey." Enjolras pursed his lips and suddenly he gathered the kid in his arms and wrapped a blanket around him; just like Grantaire did before.

"Ähm..Enojlras what are you doing? Put him down!" " 'Ferre I promise you that I will bring him back in a little while. Just give me five minutes, that's all I am asking for."

Enjolras carried the boy in his arms out of the room and brought him into Courefeyrack's room. Joly sat on the chair next to the bed, looked at them in pure astonishment. "Enjolras what are you thinking you're doing?" "I just want to let Gavroche wishing his friend a good night before he goes to sleep. Isn't that right Gavroche?"

The boy nodded and looked at Courfeyrack who was deeply asleep. "You see child, there is nothing to worry about. Your big friend is alright. He sleeps, just like you should too. There isn't anything you should fear kiddo." He rested his head against Gavroche's forehead. "Why don't you want to sleep mon petit?"

Gavroche wanted to ignore him but he couldn't, he was so glad that Enjolras carried him to Coureyrack so that he was able to see him again and he couldn't help but felt safe in his arms. "I will have nightmares again," he whispered it so quietly that only Enjolras could hear him. Enjolras nodded. "But if I promise you that I will wake you before any nightmare can reach you?" Garoche looked up at him. "Is that true?" "I promise you kiddo. I will stay with you the whole time." "But what if the National Guard will come back?" As soon as he started to spill out his fears he couldn't stop. That was a subject that made Enjolras sleepless too.

"Don't worry about that. We are safe here, and I am with you. If anything happens, no matter what, I will be with you, alright?" Gavroche gazed at him a few seconds before he nodded.

"If I put you down in your own bed now you will go back to sleep and make Combeferre happy?" He nodded hesitantly. Enjolras smiled down at him and turned back to Joly. "Joly this young man want to wish Courfeyrack and you a good night." Joly laughed. "Bonne nuit ma petit!"

He stroke him carefully over his head but Gavroche flinched from him and laid his head on Enjolras' shoulder. The latter throw his friend a view that meant that he would explain later and left the room. "Do you want to wish your sister a good night, too?" He felt how Gavroche nodded. "Alright let's go."

He knocked on the door and as he heard a quiet "Come on in" he opened the door, holding Gavroche on his hips carefully with one arm. "Bonjour Mademoiselle. I hope I don't disturb you but there is someone who wanted to wish you a good night." He turned himself a little bit so that Eponine was able to have good look at her little brother. Eponine let her book fell she was reading in. "Gavroche! O my dear little brother!" Gavroche smiled at her and reached out with his tiny arms. "Ponine, are you good?" She had to laugh at him.

"Yes my darling I am alright. But what is with you?" Enjolras took a seat next to her and set Gavroche on his lap, so that Eponine could hold his brothers' hands. Gavroche nodded. "I am fine." Enjolras looked at him strict. "You're so fine that you will go to bed and sleep soon, so say what you wanted to say. If we will stay here any longer Combeferre will kill me." Eponine laughed and kissed Gavroches cheeks.

"Please my love I know you are an independent boy who lives on his own but you have to listen to them. Please. They know what they're doing. And maybe I will come visit you tomorrow." She kissed him again and smiled at Enjolras. "Thank you Monsieur Enjolras." The latter nodded at her and pulled Gavroche up in his arms again. "Bonne nuit my petit brother. Sleep well." "Good night 'Ponine." Enjolras hold him closer as he felt the shaking of the boy.

He needed to lay the boy down again. But as soon as they reached the room again he felt how Gavroch panicked again. "Please, don't let me sleep. I don't want to. You can't force me!" _Here we are again! _ "Gavroche we've already run through it. You **will** sleep but I **will** be with you." "You promise?" "I swear!"

As they entered the room he saw how Combeferre relaxed instantly. Enjolras laid his little charge carefully down and run a hand through his hair.

"Now close your eyes and try to relax child. I am here and not going anywhere." "But usually I am sleeping on my stomach and I can't do this now." If the situation wouldn't be so serious Enjolras would have laughed.

"You will have to learn it to sleep on your back now." Combeferre took the bottle of Laudanum and another spoon. "But I can't.." "But you also can't turn on your stomach, so you have to live with that for now. The Laudanum will make you so tired that you will be asleep in a few seconds, you won't realize anything."

Combeferre took his hand and squeezed it softly. " 'Fey wait a minute." Enjolras sat next to the child and pulled Gavroche on his lap, turned him around so that he was able to rest on his stomach. Seeing his best friend and the little boy chest on chest, touched him. He didn't know that Enjolras had such a soft touch with the boy or with children in general. But he was able to calm the boy so far that he even took some Laudanum, even if Enjolras had to take some too, which Combeferre didn't mind.

Enjolras caressed the boy's head slowly to lull him into sleep. "Close your eyes Vroche. Nothing will harm you tonight." And as Gavroche lay there, on the top of Enjolras, and he heard his heart beat and felt his strong arms around him he let sleep overcome him finally.

**Okay, I hope this fluff was not too big and not too cozy, but I think that Gavroche has a hard time to deal with everything. I hope you liked it. Please leave a comment and share your ideas with me, I love to read them :D**

**Bye Freedom Rose**


	15. Chapter 15

Grantaire saw in the kitchen and looked at the clock at the wall. It was six o'clock pm. Madame Rocha had cooked dinner but he was not hungry, what he needed was a certain liquid. He needed it so desperately that he couldn't think one something else.

He wanted to drink his suffer and pain away; but what wanted the most was to make things undone, to turn back time, and to be with his friends again. But he would never ever be with them. He would never see them again.

How he missed Bahorel and their stupid jokes and bets they made. Just the festive cheer and joy of life. Or Feuilly and his poems, he could always see beauty in everything; even in the ugliest shit.

He jumped as he heard someone entering the kitchen and he turned around. It was Combeferre; he looked tired but lucky. "Hello my friend.", he said softly and joined him. "What's about that smile on your face?" The medical student chuckled. "You have to go upstairs. Enjolras and the boy are still sleeping. They're _cuddling_! Can you imagine that? The view is so sweet."

Grantaire snorted and smiled but then he was silent again. "Do you want to talk?" "What makes you think that?" "Oh..I don't know..maybe it is because I am missing a bottle in that picture?", the medical student answered sarcastically. "It is so hard for you to see me without a bottle or without being drunk?", he snapped. Combeferre looked at him irritated.

He didn't mean it in any harsh way. "Easy mate, I didn't want to insult you Grantaire!" Maybe it was just Combeferre and his calming kind, but he settled down again. "You don't know how it pleased me, my friend that you're not drinking again." Grantaire looked up at him and saw Grantaire's friendly and warm eyes on him.

"Thank you, although it is so damn hard." "I know," Combeferre leant forward and rest one hand on his friend's knee. "But I am here for you; I will help you no matter what. I am not only Enjolras' or Courfeyrack's friend, but also yours!"

Grantaire nodded. He couldn't comprise his feelings in words. But there was no need. Combeferre understood him. Even without words.

* * *

As Gavroche awoke he felt comfortable warm and relaxed, his pain was still there, but it was reduced to a mild throbbing. He felt that something was tickling him and as he pulled his head up, just a little because he was still dizzy, he saw that he had nuzzled his head in the crook of Enjolras' neck.

Enjolras was still sleeping but as he recognized that it was Gavroche who was stirring he looked at the child, which was still in his arms, sleepily and told him to go back to sleep, that it was still too early for both of them. "It is alright Gavroche, just go back to sleep, we have time." He pulled the boy even closer and Gavroche pushed his head into his shoulder again and felt how the warmth lulled him back to sleep.

* * *

The next time Enjolras awoke he saw at the chiming clock that it was almost nine o'clock in the evening. He had slept the whole day away. He wondered about his shifting bedtimes and hoped that someday everything would be normal again.

He felt a warm bundle beside him and as he looked down he saw that Gavroche was curled around him, still deeply asleep and he was looking just so cute with his blonde locks but on the same side so very little and in need of protection so that Enjolras pulled his hand through his hair. He checked for fever and found it still very high, but not as high as before.

With the thought of letting him sleep he turned around just to meet two warm brown eyes, which he knew exactly. Combeferre sat on the little table near the window, reading and watching both of them. "Did you sleep well?" Enjolras blushed a little bit, he was not a man of affection, at least not all the time and he didn't like it if someone was watching him if he showed affection to the one thing or another. But being as sick as Gavroche, changed everything.

"Yes, so long? Seriously?"

"Your body needed it. And you should sleep more." "No, I am fine. Where is everyone?"

Combeferre frowned a little bit. He thought that it would be a little trauma, caused by the barricade that Enjolras was asking about the whereabouts of his friends all the time. "Don't worry. Eponine is sleeping now; she ate a little bit, made a few jokes with Grantaire but was so exhausted that she felt asleep right away during her lunch. Grantaire is now downstairs helping Madame Rocha and Joly is still with Courfeyrack."

"How is he? Not better?" "Yes and no. There are times where he is up and about, he was even walking a few steps today, but then he is so tired and exhausted that he is almost unconscious again. But he will be alright! So don't worry, he just needs time." Enjolras smiled a little bit. "And how are you?"

Combeferre chuckled. "I am good, if you're well." He motioned to Enjolras and little Gavroche. "Do you want to eat something?" Enjolras nodded, feeling how strong his stomach hurt just for being hungry. "Then come on, I guess we can leave our little charge alone for a few minutes before I will come back and look after him." Combeferre laid one hand on his friend's shoulder and guided him out of the room.

* * *

Gavroche woke up with a start. He looked around but saw no one and the familiar feeling of panic and sheer fear captured his heart. He was alone again, but Enjolras promised that he would be with him and that he wouldn't leave his side. A part of him scolded him that he shouldn't trust him that it was his own fault to believe that the fearless leader would still be with him, if he woke up. He was only Gavroche the little gamin, nothing more. But the other side in him was sad and feared that he did something that angered Enjolras so that this was the reason why he was not with him anymore.

The boy swallowed down his tears and disappointment and ached for Courfeyrack. He never left him and still he was alone now. Gavroche didn't want to be alone, he wanted to be with his big friend who was like a big brother he never had.

So he did something which he would dearly regret later. Very slowly he tried to stand up and tried to go to Courfeyrack. He knew exactly where he could find him; Enjolras carried him to his friend last night, so it wasn't a problem to find his room.

As he sat up in his bed the pain started to spread all over him. It was so bad that he bit down on his lips so that no sound came out. He tasted blood and was so sick, because everything was spinning around, that he could barely look straight. He winced and tried to make another step. One by one, but the pain was so strong that it took his breath away and he started to deviate.

However his strong will covered everything and Gavroche succeeded to make his way out of the room. There he stood at the wall and frowned. The floor wasn't so long yesterday, wasn't it? He was about to do the next step as he heard a familiar voice screamed: "Gavroche!"

**Uhh a cliffhanger!**

**A huge and big THANK YOU for everyone for reading my story and for writing a comment! And especially for the wonderful ****Sophie Capulet**** for giving me so incredible ideas! I love sharing ideas and information and improvements with you! Please write and leave a comment! I will update very soon. Xo**

**Freedom Rose**


	16. Chapter 16

Gavroche got frightened and looked up. It was Enjolras who hurried to him, and Gavroche swore that he never saw him angrier before. He hurried to Gavroche and for a short second the boy thought that Enjolras wanted to beat him, but he was shaking him, which wasn't really any better.

Gavroche thought that he would get sick any second, so he kept his eyes down. "What were you thinking? Getting out of bed in your condition! Are you mad?" Gavroche didn't mean to but his eyes filled with tears, he didn't want to share.

"Gavroche, why can't you just listen to us?" The boy started to retch and Enjolras hold his head up. "You see? This happens if you do not listen to us! Dammit boy!"

Gavroche was shaking; he really did it this time. He made Enjolras angry and now everything was his fault. And to make the situation so much more badly, the pain in his stomach became unbearable now. It was like a lightning, which rushed through his whole body, he couldn't found his voice to scream, everything was disappearing. He saw how Combeferre came into his sight and he was talking to him in panic, and he felt how Enjolras turned him around so that he could lift him up in his arms but then everything went black again.

* * *

Gavroche could hear how someone said his name. Again and again and again. And he felt how someone slapped him in the face. It didn't hurt much but it was annoying and nasty.

As he opened finally his eyes he met Combeferre's worried gaze.

"Here we are, welcome back kiddo." Gavroche looked at him for a second, while Combeferre ran a hand through his hair and looked down at him, still worried. "Everything alright, Vroche?", his voice sounded so soft that Gavroche leant further to the man. The boy couldn't avert his look from the medical student and felt how his emotions threated to flow him once more. Combeferre recognized this and bent down further to lay his forehead against Gavroche's.

"Shhh, it is good. You're fine now. Just stay awake. You need to eat and drink something. We have to get some fluids in you."

Gavroche would never admit it, but he longed for Courfeyrack or maybe even Enjolras. He remembered the morning before he woke up alone, Enjolras was there and he was even hugged by him. He felt so safe and sound, he usually felt that only in Courfeyrack's arms, but no one was there. No Courfeyrack and no Enjolras. "Here, drink it." The medical student gave him a cup filled with water.

"I will give you something against the pain." Combeferre gave him an injection with a pain reliever, which the boy needed clearly. "Do you want to eat something?" "I..I'm not 'ungry, 'ant to' sleep." "I am afraid that you can't do this, at least not right now 'Vroche." "Why?"

"Because there is something we need to talk about." Enjolras sat on the end of the bed and wore a serious expression, too serious for Gavroche's liking.

Gavroche's heart knocked faster and he tried to flinch away again, but Combeferre was still next to him and hold him in place. "No kid, no flinching and escaping this time. You don't need to be afraid; we only want to talk with you." His voice sounded calm and reasonable, but Gavroche still didn't like it.

" 'bout what?" "Well we could start why you decided to be so stupid and climb out of your bed, _alone_, and walking through the corridor?"

Combeferre throw his friend an angry glare. Enjolras ignored him; he looked at the child in front of him with a grim look. "Don't you want to answer that question?" Gavroche didn't know what to do. Deep down he knew that this scolding was coming and that maybe, just maybe, he deserved it.

"I..I wanted to see 'Fey." Combeferre sighed and rested his head in one hand. "And you thought it would be a good idea if you walk, on your own, to him? Didn't you think about the risks? Of what could have happen? You could have fall, you could have collapse, you could have fall down the stairs!" Enjolras got louder which every single syllable. "Look at me if I am talking to you!"

Gavroche didn't dare to look up or to make any sound. Enjolras never screamed at him before. He was always so calm and polite to everyone that it was a pure shock for the boy. "Enjolras calm down! We wanted to talk- not to scream!" "Otherwise he wouldn't understand!" "I am no fool!", Gavroche found the courage to whisper.

"Oh are you not? Congratulations, you made yourself a fool!" "Enjolras stop it!" Combeferre stood up went over to his friend. "Look at him, he is still sick, he still has a fever, stop screaming at him or I will throw you out!", Combeferre didn't scream at all, he spoke in his calm usually voice, but there was a warning tone in it, which didn't escape Enjolras mind.

The latter bristled with anger and digressed himself to go to the windows to calm himself. He was so angry at the boy; the rage was in him for the whole time but the child's sickness made him forget it and now everything came up. "I thought I heard your calming and friendly voice."

Enjolras turned around and saw Grantaire, who stood in the doorway smirking in his usual Grantaire-style. "What do you want?" Grantaire lifted his hands in defense. "I thought before you kill the boy, I might want to have a last look on him, or I will try to deter you from clubbing him to death, I mean after everything Combeferre did to bring him back to the land of the living again.."

"Grantaire this is not funny. Stop trying to ridicule it! The boy needs to learn that what he did was wrong! He could have died!" Gavroche shrank into the bed and wished to be anywhere, but not here, not being here with a screaming Enjolras. "I know and believe it or not, but I agree with you Enjolras",- he turned to the boy- "Where you out of your mind? What you did at the barricades! I mean I understand why you did this, but playing the hero and getting shot is not great or heroic! I am missing the happy ending in it."

Gavroche tried to disappear under the blankets but Combeferre's hold got stronger. He never heard Grantaire scream at him before. Never! He heard how Enjolras and Grantaire were fighting before, it was never easy and he hated it, but now was Grantaire screaming at him and this was much worse. "Boy, could you look at me?", but Gavroche eyes never left his hands, which were kneading his blanket.

"What's going on in here? Grantaire, are you crackbrained to scream at Gavroche?"

They all turned around to see Courfeyrack standing in the doorway with Joly next to him. Gavroche was never ever so happy to see him, while Joly and Combeferre changed worried looks. " 'Fey you should go back in your bed," Combeferre tried to convinced his friend but the latter gave him an icy look.

"Well, I would do this, but you decided to scream at a hurt child, so forget it." He pulled Combeferre away from Gavroche and took his place beside him. The boy crawled to him instantly and the older one laid one arm protectively around him.

"We need to talk about what had happened Courfeyrack and I will not apologize for screaming at him, if he risked his life!" Enjolras went to them and stood at the end of the bed next to Grantaire. "He just wanted to help us, right Vroche?" The child nodded.

"Then try the next time without getting shoot!" "It is not fair that you blame him, it is not like he wanted to get shoot! You should blame that bastard of the National Guard who did this! Not him!" "He couldn't have the chance to shoot him if Gavroche would have listened to us!" Enjolras turned directly to Gavroche who eyed him with a fearful glance.

"Have you any idea how worried we've been? How close it was for you? Probably not, because you didn't give a damn about it! You could have died; you were out for two days, everyone thought you would die! And for what? For playing a damn hero as you climbed down the barricade! Have you ever thought about it how worried we've been? Gavroche, if you wouldn't be hurt I could give you a good hiding, you would never forget!"

Silently tears run down the boy's cheeks and he pressed himself even further to Courfeyrack. "Enjolras are you mad? You won't lay a finger on him!" "I said I `could` not that I _would_! Although I should beat some sense in him!"

Grantaire was leaning against the wall, he didn't say anything but he silently agreed with Enjolras. This was a very rare occasion. Gavroche kept looking down and wished with his whole heart that Enjolras would stop screaming. He was used that someone shouted at him, or was threatened that someone would beat him, his father did this for years, but never by Enjolras, the man, he had secretly adored. He felt how Courfeyrack stroke a hand over his back in comforting upwards and downwards movements. And then he felt the urge to protect himself, so he whispered: "But I am still alive, so it couldn't be that bad."

Now it was Combeferre's turn to get angry and raised his voice. He disagreed with Enjolras` fit of temper and was deeply appalled that he screamed at the boy, he never did that before. But the medical student was now angered at the boy's words and a little bit hurt. _He_ was the one who took care of him the last two days, with Enjolras and Grantaires help.

"What was that?" Gavroche didn't dare to say it again. "Gavroche what did you just say?" "I am fine now", he whispered anew. Combeferre kneeled down before the bed and tried to took his face in his hands but Gavroche managed to pull himself even further into Courfeyrack.

"Enjolras is right, you are seriously injured. And I swear that it was not nothing, it isn't some little illness which will fade away in a few days! You were shoot, twice, because you didn't listen to us! Do you know how it felt as I saw you at the end of the barricade? I saw my heart would stop beating and watching you as you got shoot, while we couldn't do anything to help you, was the most horrible moment in my whole life! And what is about Courfeyrack? Can you even imagine how he felt?"

Gavroche sobbed now and pressed his head in Courfeyrack shoulder. He didn't want so see and listen anymore. He wanted to sleep and never woke up again. "Combeferre leave it!" Courfeyrack looked with an angry gaze at his friends. "You're scarring him, can you not see it?" Enjolras bristled with anger. "This is everything you have to say about?"

"Yes!" Enjolras opened his mouth to replay something but Combeferre hold a hand up as he saw how Gavroche started shaking so badly that Courfeyrack took him closer in his arms. "We shouldn't forget that is was not only the boy's fault. It was also ours. We were the one who let him stay there. Let's leave it at that for now. We _will_ talk later about it. But we all need to calm down first." Courfeyrack looked triumphantly at Grantaire and Enjolras while the latter stormed out of the room. Combeferre wanted to follow his best friend but it was Grantaire who was already gone to talk to the hot tempered man.

Joly hadn't said anything for the whole time. He was also angry at the boy but the worry for him was bigger. Slowly he made his way to the remaining group and sat on the bed. Gavroche was whimpering lightly and clung to Courfeyrack for dear life. "Shhh. It is alright ma petit. You're fine." He cradled him carefully and stroked a hand through his hair. Combeferre didn't know if it was the right thing to let it go so far but he could understand Enjolras. He cared deeply for the boy even if he would never show it or let anyone see it. " 'Fey Enjolras didn't mean it. Not in such a harsh way." But Courfeyrack ignored him and gave his little boy a kiss on the head.

**Sooo here is the update. I hope you liked it and you are not too disappointed if you didn't like the characterizations of Enjolras, Combeferre and Grantaire. But it seems to fit that they're really angry with Gavroche for risking his life.**

**Please leave a comment, I love to read them, and have a nice day.**

**Xo Freedom Rose**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello guys,**

**Thank you soo much for the reviews! They are meaning so much to me! Here is the next to last update before the big and sad maximum of this story. I will update on Saturday/Sunday again because I am on vacation this week without internet… It is mostly about Gavroche and Combeferre. Enjoy and have a wonderful week you wonderful people!**

Courfeyrack looked very carefully down at his little charge. The boy had felt exhausted in a deep sleep. Everything was just too much for him, and his body and mind escaped in the easiest way for him.

He nestled his cheek against the boy's to check for fever and as he found his temperature higher than before, he frowned. Combeferre who sat still on his chair next to him saw it. "What's wrong?" Courfeyrack ignored him for the last two hours and gave him now a frosty view. "It is his fever", he said reproachful.

" 'Fey please, let me help him, I am doing it for the last days!" "You screamed at him and made everything worse than it was before!" "We were talking," the medical student whispered to not to wake the boy, "Gavroche needed to hear that. You can't go on without talking about it. The boy needed that; see it like a start of completion to his trauma." "It could have waited!" "The idea was talking; not screaming I am sorry for my part. But 'Fey you need to rest and the boy also, you're not doing anything good to you if you overexert yourself!"

Courfeyrack looked down at Gavroche again. The child was deeply asleep; he wouldn't wake up if he lay him down on the bed. But then he would leave him, something he never wanted to do, especially now.

It was Joly who broke the ice. "Courfeyrack come on, let Combeferre take care of the kid and we will come back in the morning. We can have breakfast together; I guess the boy will like this." Courfeyrack looked down at the child again, faltering he nodded. "Alright, but be nice to him, or.." " 'Fey please, you can trust us with the boy." The other nodded and lay Gavroche carefully down. He didn't awake, didn't even stir. Joly helped his friend to go back to his room, after Courfeyrack gave the boy a last kiss on his forehead. Combeferre took the cloth again, wet it and lay it carefully on the boy's forehead and cheek. The boy looked so pale again, that Combeferre feared that his condition was worse than before. It would be another long night again, he was sure about that.

* * *

Grantaire sighed as he saw how Combeferre took care of the boy with such an addiction that he knew for sure that one day he would be the perfect doctor. "Hey mon amie!" "Hello Grantaire, where is Enjolras?" Grantaire sighed: "He is in the kitchen. He doesn't want to talk about anything. He is still too angry. I guess you should go to him, you're his best friend and if anyone could calm him down, it was always you."

The medical student smiled. "He listens to you too." "Maybe, but not now." Combeferre looked down at the boy. It was the worst idea ever to let him alone, but Grantaire knew his doubts. "I will take care of him. I did it before." " 'Taire I know how to appreciate your offer but I don't know if this is such a good idea. I fear that we exaggerated a little bit, maybe we were too harsh on the boy." "Combeferre seriously, the boy can take it. And it was not like he didn't deserve it. It was just a scolding, nothing more. Go to Enjolras, you know how he is, when he sulks and I will take care of Gavroche, he is sleeping either way." The medical student nodded slowly and stood up so that Grantaire could take his seat.

"Enjolras? Enjolras where are you?" Combeferre searched for his friend in the kitchen but he wasn't there. He wasn't in the living room and not in the dining room. The flat was not that big. Monsieur Fauchelevant lived in the first floor, while the landlady owned the ground floor. He had an own kitchen but he rarely used is. He told them the day before that they were always eating with the landlady together, but he couldn't found his friend. Finally before he begun to get worried he found his friend on the roof-deck.

"Enjolras what are you doing here? It is in the middle of the night!" Enjolras turned around and looked at his friend, but didn't say anything. "My friend what is wrong? Is it your side which is hurting you?"

"No I am fine." _Here we are, _Combeferre thought. "Enjolras seriously, don't give me that crap, our day sucked enough!" Enjolras was speechless for a second; his friend was actually not a person for cursing. "Are you still angry at the boy?"

The blonde head nodded. "I just can't understand him." He threw his hands determined in the air. "We want to help him and he is still disobeying us!" "Enjolras calm down, he is just a child. He doesn't know what to do. He is hurt, desperate and maybe this is exactly the point. Gavroche doesn't know how it is if someone is taking care of him. He knows it because of Courfeyrack, but not if someone is with him for twenty-four hours a day."

"If he would just listen to us! I know I exaggerate my anger, but I was so worried about him, as I saw him climbing down the barricade I…" Combeferre laid a hand on his shoulder. "I know Enjolras, but you shouldn't project your anger and hurt over how things gone wrong, on him. Gavroche is also hurt, not only because it is his wound which causes him pain, it is Courfeyrack and his sister Eponine. They are wounded badly, especially Courfeyrack and seeing them down, isn't helping."

"He wouldn't be in that situation if he had listened to us. I can't remember anyone telling him to get that cursed gunpowder! And I can't remember anyone telling him leaving the bed alone and try to walk on his own, after he got shoot." "I know you are angry and you, we, have every right to be, but don't forget that it is not only you who is worried and who is hurt. It is also the kid, he is young and he saw everything through another view. He is afraid you've seen it." "So what shall we do, ignoring the fact that he almost died?"

"What do you want to do? Do you want to smack him, or worse, ignoring him for the rest of your life?"

"God no, I don't know if I am just the right person for him right now. Maybe someone else should take care of him, ask Grantaire or Joly, I will look after Courfeyrack." Combeferre looked at him with sad eyes. "He is a just child my friend. A child which needs protection. He needs to know that he is loved and safe. This is all you need, love and patience, particular with a traumatize boy like Gavroche." "I just don't know if I am good for him." "If I am right, it was not me or Grantaire who calmed the child last night and who lulled him back to sleep." Enjolras narrowed his eyes. "Believe me, you're exactly the right person for him."

* * *

Grantaire played with his keys to his apartment. It was almost ridiculous that this object was still with him, after the whole hunting thing through the sewer. But it was quite useless for him right now. He couldn't go back to his apartment, maybe he never could.

Not that he minded much, but there were still a few things which he loved, his few favorite books, his few keepsakes of his mother and beloved sister. But it was too dangerous to go back now; they would start new, somehow. He looked up as he heard Gavroche stirring in his sleep. He was half awake, but Grantaire hoped that he could still coax him back to sleep.

"Sleep lad, you're fine." But Gavroche didn't want to go back to sleep, or he couldn't because he started to get sick again. "Easy lad, stop it, you didn't eat a thing, you can't get sick." He took the child carefully in his arms and lay him down again. "Shh sleep kiddo, it will be better in the morning."

He lent over the child and stroked his hair carefully and took his hands in his. Gavroche looked up at him with half closed eyes; a part of him wasn't really there, the other looked directly into the older one's eyes. "We're fine kiddo. I am not angry at you anymore. We're fine.", murmured Grantaire and to show it, he leant his forehead against the child's. Finally Gavroche gave in and slept another few hours.

* * *

Combeferre took his watch after a short time again. He couldn't stand to be apart from the boy. "How is he?", he asked as he entered the room. Grantaire had settled down on the bed, next to Gavroche. "He got sick, but is sleeping now. Is it normal?" Combeferre looked at the child, he was pale, feverish and he began to sweat again. "It is the stress and the trauma. He will be alright in the morning, after he will eat a little bit. Go to sleep now, you're looking like the walking death", the medical student chuckled a little bit. "Are you sure that I can leave you with the boy alone?" "Yes my friend, go and get some rest."

_Gavroche saw people. He wondered why he was on the barricade again. He was asleep, or wasn't it Grantaire's face, leaning over him and telling him that he was alright? Then he recognized the people. They were his friends. There were Courfeyrack, Enjolras, Eponine, Grantaire, Marius and all the others like Jehan, Bahorel and Joly. Even Eponine was there. And everyone was happy. It was a beautiful dream like in the old days but then he heard the shots. And he heard screaming and he saw how one by one got shoot. Courfeyrack was the first one. He felt down the barricade- he wanted to go to him, but then there was one soldier of the National Guard there and he took him, carried him far away from Courfeyrack who was screaming his name, bleeding strong, holding a hand out for him. He fought, he bit and scratched but the soldier was so much stronger than he was. He screamed for Courfeyrack, the only person who was next to Eponine his family. But no one heard him. Everything went dark- and he was alone gain on the streets with no one to turn to, no one who would help him, who would give him food and who would ruffle his hair._

Then he heard someone screaming his name, again and again. But he didn't know this voice and the hands that were shaking him, holding him down. He fought desperately against the hold and hoped that whoever held him would let go of him, would go away.

He screamed and screamed but no one could hear him, and the hold got only stronger. "Gavroche wake up, come one! Wake up!" But Gavroche couldn't trust that voice; he did it in the past and he regretted it dearly. He trusted too many peoples which hurt him only more, only Courfeyrack, he was the one who holds his words every time.

But the voice didn't fade away; it got louder and more present than before. "Vroche open your eyes!" Suddenly he felt a harsh pain against his right cheek, it hurt so much that he opened his eyes just to look in the warm brown eyes of Combeferre.

The medical student didn't know how it happened. He felt asleep for a short time and as he waked up he heard Gavroche, who lay in bed and turned over and over again. The boy was screaming and weeping. Sweat and tears were running down his face and as Combeferre tried to calm him and hold him down, so he wouldn't hurt himself, he tried to fight off his grip.

"Gavroche wake up, come one wake up!" But the boy didn't seem to hear him, so he tried to hold him down, but aroused only more screaming and fighting. _He will wake up the whole house! _He didn't need that, all of them needed their sleep, and especially Courfeyrack and Enjolras, so he did the only thing he knew it could help- and he hated himself for doing or even considering it. He slapped Gavroche hard in the face, so hard that his hand left a mark.

Gavroche awoke with a start and looked him directly in his eyes. He saw the hurt and the tears in them and the confusion. Gavroche gasped and looked nervously around him, so he pulled the boy quickly in his arms, holding him firm.

"Shh you are fine kiddo. It was only a nightmare. You're fine." Gavroche cried blushless and hold on the medical student with all his remaining power. "God, Gavroche, what was that for a dream, mhm? Leaving you so restless." He started to pull the boy onto his lap and cradled him carefully. He murmured words of comfort into the boy's ear and moving a hand on Gavroche's back in comforting circles.

The child cried so hard that it didn't look like he would stop soon. Combeferre placed himself further on the bed and laid a blanket on the kid's shoulder. "Shh. You're alright little one. Nothing will harm you." Gavroche buried his head into the older man's shoulder and cried so hard that his stomach started to get worse; the medical student saw it coming and looked down in his face.

"Kiddo what was your nightmare about? What makes you crying so hard?" Gently he wiped the boy's tears away. Gavroche shook his head and pressed it into Combeferres' shoulder again. He didn't want to talk about it; he wanted to go to Courfeyrack. Combeferre was a little bit clueless about how to go on. He had a little niece, who he loved and adored but he didn't know how to comfort a traumatize boy after a horrible nightmare. So he did the only thing he could do for now, holding the boy close to him and let him cry.

Combeferre didn't know for how long he held the boy in his arms, he didn't look at the clock, but he rated that it was almost an hour before the child went limp in his arms. He wasn't asleep, but he didn't cry either. He stared into space and didn't make any sound.

"Vroche? Gavroche?" The boy didn't listen to him, he continued with ignoring him and staring into space. Combeferre sighed, the boy was again into his shell and every single time it was harder to bring him out. But then he got an idea. Monsieur Fauchelevant gave him a few supplies in a box for the child, if he'll get boring for laying every day in bed. There were a few children's books inside and he lent forward to get one of these. It was a fairytale book and slowly he began to read the first story to Gavroche who snuggled up into his chest and listened to him.

Combeferre caressed the boy's back and looked down at him after a little while. The child wasn't asleep; with one finger he traced the fine figures and pictures in the book. Combeferre had to smile about it, Gavroche seemed to like the book, he should read more often to him. He was startled out of his thoughts as he heard Gavroche small voice. "I am hot and sore." Combeferre lay his cheek on Gavroche's forehead to check for fever, the boy was unbelievable hot again. He leant over and got the thermometer from the bedside locker. "Vroche, can you please open up?"

The boy did and leant himself further into the medical student's chest. The latter was glad that the fear had disappeared, but maybe it was only the fever that left him clingy and in the need of protection. "It is good kiddo, everything is alright." He stroked the child trough his blonde locks, which were looking so much like Enjolras he thought shortly, before he took the thermometer. Gavroche's fever was about 101,5 degrees again. "Oh Vroche, what shall I do with you?"

The child didn't say anything. He read another fairytale to the boy and hoped he could lull him back to sleep. But Gavroche didn't want to sleep and listened carefully to the calming voice of Combeferre.

It was getting harder for him not to fall asleep. It was pleasantly warm and he felt safe in Combeferre's arm. But he didn't want to fall back into the black hole. As he heard the medical student's voice in his ear he got frightened. "Don't you want to go back to sleep kiddo?" He shook his head and tried to concentrate on the story. "But I think you should", with that the medical student lay him carefully down on his bed again and ignored Gavroche's whimper.

"Listen Gavroche, I know you don't want to sleep because you're afraid of getting any more nightmares. I understand you, we all have them too, but you're so exhausted and your body needs to sleep and rest. So just give in, I am here."

The boy looked away as Combeferre caressed him carefully over his cheek. "I am sorry for this", he stroked over the little mark on his cheek gently. Gavroch gave him a side-glance. "I didn't want to but you were trapped so much in your nightmare that I couldn't wake you. Otherwise I would never lay a hand on you, you know that right Gavroche?" "You would..", he whispered so softly that Combeferre had to lean closer to understand him. "Gavroche no one would ever hurt you, child. I promise you." He understood the boy's fear so well. And the fight didn't make things any easier. So he made one last chance to bring him out of his shell.

"Gavroche I saw your back, and I know that someone abused you for not such a long time. Can you tell me who did this?" Gavroche paled and looked down. Combeferre took his chin gently and looked him in the eye. "Kiddo there is no reason to be embarrassed or to be afraid of any of us. It was your father right, or the man who called himself your father."

Gavroche looked up in the warm, trustful eyes and nodded. He knew that he could trust Combeferre with all his heart, Courfeyrack told him this once, and he was not Enjolras representative without reason. "Yes he was. He did it for two month." "Why did you not tell anyone, why not 'Fey, he would wanted you to tell him that."

"He was so busy with planning the revolution; I didn't want to bother him or anyone." He couldn't help but tears were streaming down his face. "Gavroche listen to me, first you are no bother to any of us, and second you can come to every one of us, even it is just a little scratch, but it weren't just any scratches. He beat you with a belt, it have to hurt like hell, I could have helped you."

With the most carefully movement he stroked him over his cheeks and wiped the tears away. "But you were so angry at me…" Combeferre cut him off. "Don't even think about it. We are angry at you, because you got yourself hurt and that's because you didn't listen to us, but that didn't mean that you deserved such a treatment! No one would ever do that to you!" Gavroche looked down again. His whispered words were so silent that he couldn't understand it.

"What was that kiddo?" "But Enjolras…" "Enjolras would never harm you, he was angry and his words were spoken in anger but he would never beat you or harm you in any way, especially not in such a cruel way like your father did." He took the child's hands in his and squeezed them.

"Gavroche you're safe here, go to sleep. I won't leave you." "You guys did, I 'oke up alone this 'orning." Combeferre had to think about a while, what the boy meant but then everything made sense. "Oh kiddo," he took the child in his arms again, "I took Enjolras down to let him eat something. He was almost starved just like you and you were fast asleep, he wanted to come back as soon as he got something into his stomach, but then you were already awake and he found you. But I promise that I will be here if you woke up. I swear." He gave Gavroche a small kiss on his head and held him closer. "Come on, close your eyes. I will be here."


	18. Chapter 18

Gavroche awoke a few hours later. He slept mostly through the time; he was awake for a half an hour and Combeferre used this time to feed him some soup. Gavroche was deeply embarrassed that the medical student had to spoon-feed him, but after he let the spoon fall for the third time Combeferre had enough. "It is no shame to let someone else fed you, you know that Gavroche." But the child ignored him again, shutting the medical student out one more time. Combeferre sighed and let him sleep after that.

* * *

Gavroche slept for almost three hours again. They were all glad that the child was sleeping so long without waking up once. Combeferre didn't leave the child; he sat with him all the time while Enjolras decided to spend his time in the kitchen, or with Eponine, to bear her some company. The medical student got lightly angry with his friend, and he knew that Gavroche felt it, although he didn't dare to ask and he was glad again that the child slept so he wouldn't notice Enjolras' behavior.

Combeferre stayed with him all the time, stroking one hand through his hair and checking for fever every half an hour to prevent any risky temperature rise.

So as Gavroche awoke he found the medical student laying over his bed deeply asleep, his hand still entangled with Gavroche's. He looked around and saw that Grantaire was sleeping in the other bed, but Enjolras wasn't there. Gavroche felt a little uncomfortable pull in his epigastrium, which had nothing to do with hit wound. He wasn't expected Enjolras to sit here with him, but he couldn't help but felt a little bit disappointed and sad. After the last night he thought that he and the big leader would be at least talking with each other but apparently not.

Gavroche wanted to know what happened to Courfeyrack and Eponine and thought, no one was awake to tell him anything, that he could also took a look on his own. He untangled his hand very carefully out of the Combeferre's grip and tried to stand up.

The pain was so strong that it took his breath away for a few seconds, but it was not as bad as before, so he kept going and thanked the medical student for the extra laudanum silently.

The dizziness was much worse and he had to make shortly breaks, while he leant against the wall for a few moments. He feared that Enjolras would catch him again; he knew for sure that he wouldn't get away with a scolding this time and accelerated his steps.

But no one was there and no one caught him as he scurried into Courfeyrack's room and saw that Joly slept in the same position as Combeferre and Courfeyrack slept soundly in his bed on his back. He was pale and looked extremely tired so that Gavroche didn't want to wake him up and wanted to go back first, but stopped as he heard a familiar voice calling him back.

" 'Vroche? 'Vroche my friend what are you doing here?" Courfeyrack sat up a little bit and choke a painful grunt down.

"Gavroche what are you doing here?" The boy made his way slowly to his big friend. "I..I..I wanted to see you. I was 'orried."

Courfeyrack thought that his heart would melt away. "Oh my kid, you don't need to worry about me. Why are you not asleep anymore?" "I wanted to see you, if you're alright."

The older one outstretched his arms and Gavroche smiled happily as his 'big brother' took him in his arms. He caressed the boy's hair and looked at his laceration with an anxious face.

"Are you in any pain? Your head looks twice sizes bigger than usually." Gavroche tapped his hands away. "I am not." "Yes I think you are monsieur big-head. The young ladies will love you so much!"

Gavroche wanted to rush to Courfeyrack but the latter was faster. He pinned the boy down and started to tickle him, very carefully and softly so that he wouldn't hurt the child. Gavroche started to laugh; he also wanted to stay quiet because he didn't want to be caught by Joly or worse Enjolras, but it was almost impossible.

"You dirty swine-let go of me!", laughed the boy. Courfeyrack played to be puffed up. "What was that? What did you just call me? Take care my little friend, I am still stronger than you!" And with that remark Courfeyrack's tickling got stronger and he gave his 'little brother' a playfully and very gently swat on his bottom.

Gavroche laughs got louder and he tried to tickle him back but after a few more moments he calmed down again and his face showed the first signs of pain and exhaustion. At these point Courfeyrack stopped immediately and lay himself next to the kid.

"Are you alright little one?" Gavroche nodded and pressed himself further to the older student. They both lay side by side and enjoyed the quiet. Courfeyrack stroke calming circles on the boy's back and he noticed how Gavroche felt slowly asleep in his arms, with his head on his chest. It didn't take long until Courfeyrack joined the boy in a dreamless sleep too.

* * *

As Enjolras entered the room in which Courfeyrack and Joly stayed he found both asleep. But he also recognized a little form cuddled next to his friend. He sighed in frustration. Why couldn't Gavroche just listen to him?

He sat carefully on the bed, so that he wouldn't wake everyone. The sight of his friend with the child in his arms moved him in some ways but it was mixed with worry as he saw how sick Courfeyrack looked. He needed rest and that now. So as carefully as he could he tried to lift Gavroche up and took him in his arms. Gavroche remained in his sleeping form and lay his head on Enjolras shoulder instinctively.

But it was Courfeyrack who awaked. "Enji, what's wrong?", he asked sleepily. Under normal circumstances Enjolras would get furious that his friend called him by that accursed nickname, but he looked so pale and feverish that Enjolras didn't care.

"Shh you're fine my friend, I am just bringing the little rascal to his own bed." "It doesn't matter, he can sleep here. He came to me, he didn't want to be alone." "He is not alone, Combeferre was with him the whole night and Grantaire is sleeping in his room too. And you need rest my friend."

Courfeyrack wanted to say something but it Joly awaked and determined the situation quickly. "'Fey, what is wrong? Is your fever rising?" He sat closer to him and checked for fever.

"Courfeyrack you should sleep, we made a decision that you can go to the boy on the morning." "You made that decision and Gavroche came to me, I didn't leave the bed."

"But you need sleep!"

Enjolras noticed that Gavroche stirred in his arms and opened his eyes. First he showed signs of confusion; looked absent at Enjolras and wondered why he was in his arms and didn't lie next to Courfeyrack anymore. "Courfeyrack what were you thinking? Why can't you just listen to us?"

"What?" "We decided you that we would go back to the boy in the morning!" "You decided that over my head and Gavroche came to me!"

"Oh Courfeyrack I can't believe it, you're sick and you need proper rest! I am the medical student, so I know best!" "You are afraid of every little bacterium, you are such a hypochondriac!"

Enjolras left the room as he felt how Gavroche started to shake. The older one knew that his friend were only fighting and didn't take the tiff too seriously, but Gavroche didn't take it so easy. "We will see you both in the morning!" Enjolras closed the door and left, Gavroche still in his arms. But now it was the boy's turn to get angry.

Enjolras had no right to control and patronize Gavroche like a baby. He was alone for his whole life and didn't need someone to take care of him, and if he needed someone he still had Courfeyrack.

Gavroche started to push himself away from Enjolras chest. "Gavroche keep quiet!" But the child looped himself of Enjolras grip, so the older one strengthened his hold on him. "Gavroche I am warning you!" "Let me go, you have no right!"

The boy hit Enjolras' arms and hands away and acted like a little wild cat. His struggles became so strong that the student placed him on the ground and pulled him instantly back into his lap as Gavroche tried to use the chance to escape. He turned the boy on his shoulders around, so that he was able to look him in the eye.

"Gavroche, I don't know what is wrong with you, but this behavior of yours will stop this instant!" The boy looked down and started to loop out of the strong hold, but Enjolras was just too strong for him.

"Gavroche stop it! What were you thinking to walk on your own to Courfeyrack, mhm? I told you not to do, but you think that you can disobey me and Combeferre so easily!" "Let go of me, you're not 'Fey!"

"I know that and honestly I am very glad about it, otherwise I would have taken care of you! You are such an ungrateful, disobedient bugger! Courfeyrack should show more interest to educate you!" Gavroche felt a hurtful pull in his heart. He knew that it was actually only Courfeyrack who show more interest in him but to hear these words hurt nevertheless. But he wanted to be tough and not weak so Gavroche snapped back. Enjolras didn't care about him anyway, so he could be nasty too.

"You think you can be bossy with everyone around you, but you are not a chief anymore!"

Enjolras didn't think in that second, he only felt sheer anger running into his veins and he did not recognize that he lifted his right hand to beat the boy. As he saw Gavroche, who was crouched down into a little ball he realized what he was going to do and he let his hand sink, breathing heavily. Guilt as hot as fire rushed through his veins now, banished all the anger. He blinked and looked down at Gavroche, who didn't dare to meet his eyes.

He never wanted to be like this. Not like a brutal monster, like his own father was, he knew from Gavroche's past too. Combeferre told him everything. He was very angry at the boy, but he never had any intention to beat him. They were only empty threats to show the boy some limits- nothing more.

He didn't want to break the child's volition, he thought that every soul should have this and was proud at Gavroche that the child had such a strong will. "Gavroche," he stretched his hands slowly out for him but the boy shrank back. It wouldn't make any sense to force him to talk so he took the boy carefully in his arms again, tried to ignore the flinches and whimpers and went back to their room.

Combeferre looked up sleepily and realized that the bed, he was leaning on was empty. "What..?" "Don't worry I have him," Enjolras turned around so that the medical student took a look at the child who feared that Combeferre would harm him because he disobeyed him again.

"Gavroche needed to use the bathroom, everything is alright." The medical student knew right away that this wasn't the whole truth but didn't ask any questions. He guessed that it was a thing between Enjolras and the boy, and the latter was actually really thankful towards Enjolras for covering him.

As he felt how he was lied down, he turned immediately to his left sight, blending them all out. "Sleep now", Enjolras didn't sound anything but calm and kindly. And maybe for the first time that day Gavroche listened to him.

**Thank you sooo much for reading my story and for your lovely reviews, it means so much to me. Please leave a comment and share your opinions, I am so happy about that. It won't be long until the big finale comes, so please stick with me until the end:D**

**Best wishes **

**Freedom Rose**


	19. Chapter 19

It was in the early morning as Joly heard someone knocking. He startled and looked at Grantaire who fixed the door and paled. That someone knocked again, this time more aggressive.

"Madame Posay? Open the door immediately!" Joly felt how his heart beat faster. "Grantaire go upstairs! Now! Warn the others!" Grantaire didn't want to leave but his friend was right, he needed to warn the others. Madame Posay came down and looked at the door with fear. "What shall we do? You have to hide Monsieur!"

She wanted to push the medical student the stairs up but then they heard how the door was crashed down. "In the name of the king you are all under arrest!" The soldiers of the National Guard squalled through the room, hurried to Joly and pinned him down. "Carice, Multimer, Jocie and Cature go upstairs, the others have to be there!" Joly saw how the soldiers paced upstairs with his bayonets and screamed: "Run, run my friends!" He saw a fist coming and then everything went black.

Gavroche awoke as he heard foreign people screaming and then a loud crack. Combeferre who sat next to him pulled him into his arms, ignoring the boy's whimper of pain at the sudden movement. Enjolras walked through the door and Gavroche saw with fear how a National Soldier rushed to him and beat him with a bayonet down. Enjolras screamed out loud with pain as the bayonet hit him hard in the face. "You bastard leave him alone!"

It was Grantaire who jumped at the soldier and they both fell down in a ball of limbs. As another soldier drove the top of his bayonet in Grantaire's side he fell silent. Combeferre used the incident to put Gavroche in the box next to the bed, the boy didn't want to leave his side but Combeferre ignored his struggles and closed the upper shell.

Gavroche heard the muffled scream as one soldier shot at the medical student who fell down to the ground. The child couldn't even scream as he watched in pure shock how the soldiers pulled the body by side like trash. A female scream which belonged to Eponine was to hear. "Ponine", he whispered.

"There is one, he is wounded!" "Shoot him now; we will save us the circumstances to carry him." "NO!" Gavroche climbed out of the box. He kicked and fought against the latter soldier. "What do we have here? A little hero?"

"Leave him alone you arse!" The soldiers laughed. "Someone should teach you some manners!" Gavroche fell down as he was beaten in the face and his head wound opened again. Warm blood flowed down his cheek, in his eyes. With tears in his eyes he saw how the soldier took his bayonet and wanted to leave the room, wanted to go to Courfeyrack to execute him right away. "Wait! I have an idea! Take the child with you, he shall see what happens to traitors and those who rebelled against the king."

Gavroche felt how he was pulled up and was dragged to Courfeyrack who sat in bed, unable to move because another soldier was standing in front of him. "Courf! Please let him be! He is all I have!" Gavroche sobbed now hopelessly, something he would never do in front of strangers, but they just laughed. "Gavroche close your eyes and do not forget I love you like a son!" Courfeyrack smile on last time at him. The soldiers pulled him up, ignoring the painful screams and then Gavroche heard the shot. The shot that killed Courfeyrack and Gavroche screamed.

* * *

As Enjolras awoke he didn't knew what happened but then he heard the muffled screams and whimpers. He knew immediately that they belong to Gavroche and hoped that his friend Combeferre was able to coax him back to sleep, but the whimpers didn't abated and he couldn't hear his friend's calming voice. He turned around on his other side and could only see a small figure lying in bed. The room was dark, which was unusual; Combeferre let the light on, especially for Gavroche.

So he made his way to the bed, bore a curse down as he walked against the chair and sat down on the bed. "Gavroche calm down, you're alright. It was a just nightmare." He turned the boy by his shoulder around and shook him a little bit, just to wake him up. " 'Vroche, come on." But Gavroche didn't respond, he cried more and his sobs sounded more desperate, his twisting and turning got more violent. Now Enjolras got worried. "Gavroche! Come on kid!" He pulled him up and gave him another good shake. Finally the child awoke with a scream. Gavroche breathed for air and looked with panic in his eyes around him.

"Where are they", Enjolras heard the boy whisper. "What? Who?"

"The soldiers, they were there..and they shoot…" Enjolras couldn't hear the rest of his sentence because Gavroche started to get sick. The student grabbed the bucket and held it under the boy's face. "God Gavroche..What's going on in the overtired mind of yours?"

Gavroche started to sob and tried to abandon himself of Enjolras, but the latter pulled him back and hold him close. The student was still angry with the boy but he couldn't let him suffer in silence. "What happened kiddo?" His voice sounded so soft that Gavroche looked up. His sight awoke every soft spot in him he had for the boy. His eyes were puffy and he looked still with fear around him, twitched nervously at every sound he heard.

" 'Vroche.." "There were soldiers..and they shot Combeferre and then…they beat you and Grantaire and then..and then…" He cried openly and Enjolras pulled him on his lap, his arms around the boy to give him some shelter. "What happened kid?" He wished softly the tears and sweat of his face.

"Courfeyrack, they shot 'Fey and I had to watch and couldn't help!" He rested his head against Enjolras' chest and hold on him for dear life. Enjolras sighed and hold him close. Everything was spinning out of control and he didn't know how to comfort the upset child, who cried his eyes out. Where was Combeferre or Grantaire?

"Gavroche listen to me," he pulled the child's head up and looked him intensely in the eye. "They will not find us! You don't need to fear them, you..we are safe! Nothing will harm you." He lay his forehead against Gavroche's and pressed a lightly kiss on his head. "We are fine, everything will be alright. The things will look better in the morning. We are fine."

Enjolras lay himself down on the bed and pulled the child with him. He placed Gavroche comfortable and covered him with the blanket. "Sleep kiddo, tomorrow will everything look better." As a matter of course the boy jiggled closer and Enjolras lay one arm around his skinny frame and hold with the other Gavroche's hand. They both found sleep without any horrible nightmares for the rest of the night, with the hope that the next day would be better than the last one. How wrong they were about this….

**A huge thank to all the followers and to all the persons who favors this story and to you guys who wrote a comment! It means so much to me, THANK YOU! **

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	20. Chapter 20

**Hello Guys,**

**First: THANK you SO, SO, SO much for all the reviews. They made my day, seriously! **

**Secondly: I had big struggles to write this chapter, if you'll read this you'll know why and what I am talking about.**

**And Thirdly: I think I should warn you right here, that Gavroche's nightmare might turn into reality in this chapter. So in this chapter someone of our beloved revolutionaries will die. :O**

Enjolras blinked as the gloomy light hit his face. He grunted and wanted to turn around but stopped as he felt how someone tugged at him.

As he looked down he saw that it was Gavroche who had still an arm around his waist, his face was buried deep down into his side. The child looked so calm but yet so very tired and exhausted that he stroke over his head carefully to check for any fever. It didn't felt much higher so he laid down next to him and wanted to go back to sleep as he heard his friend Combeferre joining them.

"Good morning, where were you last night?" Enjolras didn't sound reproachful or anything, just tired and lazy. He mustered Combeferre who looked almost as tired as Gavroche and sat up immediately as he saw the sheer worry in his friend's face.

"What happened?" His friend didn't say anything in the beginning. He sat down on the bed and checked the boy for fever and looked if he was deeply asleep.

"It is Courfeyrack.", he whispered, "his condition got a lot worse tonight. He was delirious and well…things didn't look good for a short time." Enjolras paled. How was this possible?

"But..but he was fine", he lowered his voice, as he heard Gavroche stirring in his sleep. This conversation was not to be allowed to hear by the boy. "I don't know Enjolras, honestly he was fine yesterday. Joly told me that he had a few break outs of fever but then…And last night things got worse. Right now he is asleep: his fever is almost as low as yesterday afternoon. His wound is infected but not that bad that he might die because of that. But his condition is changing so fast."

Enjolras cursed. "Is there anything we can do?" The medical student shook his head. "No, there is nothing that we could do anymore."

* * *

Enjolras stayed with Gavroche after the talk with his best friend, who left him to help Joly with Courfeyrack. He was glad that the boy slept through everything but he was so exhausted that Enjolras doesn't wonder. He looked up as he heard Grantaire enter the room.

"Morning." The former drunkard looked tired and lightly grimly. "Here is some food for the boy. Joly told me that you should wake him up and here is a cream, which will help the wound to heal faster. You should apply it in his abdomen and head." "Me?" "He didn't ask the Santa Claus." "Someone ate a clown this morning!"

Grantaire bristled and lay down on the other bed. "If you don't mind I want to sleep now. I was awake the whole night." Enjolras smiled softly at him. "Of course. Sleep well mon amie."

He turned to the boy and thought that it would be a crime if he would wake him up now. Once in their time Gavroche was deeply asleep and being that peacefully, but he knew that Joly was right. They had to get some liquids in him to keep him hydrated. "Vroche….Gavroche wake up kiddo."

Enjolras stroke slowly the child's back up and down. "Come one child, wake up. It's a new day." But Gavroche didn't have in mind to wake up any soon, so he turned his head deeper into his pillow, slightly grunting. The student had to suppress a laughter, if the child wasn't sick it would be a really cute sight. So he caressed his head carefully and stroking some hair out of his face.

"Hey little one, open your blue eyes for me." Very carefully Gavroche opened his eyes, blinked at the mild sunlight and looked confused up at Enjolras.

" 'llo." Enjolras smiled down at him. "Good morning Gavroche. Are you with me now?" The latter nodded but looked still confused.

"Are you in pain?" With a carefully motion the student lay the boy on his back. "I am dizzy and so tired. Why I am so tired?" "Don't worry kid. Combeferre told me that you would feel that quite a time, because of the bloodlust you went through. But it's gonna be alright. You need to rest and drink something."

Gavroche tried to sit up but was so week that he sagged down instantly. He blushed while Enjolras pulled him upwards again. "It's alright Gavroche that happens to all of us." But the child couldn't hold himself upwards, and whimpered pitifully. "Vroche it is naturally, you're still weak." Gavroche however, looked down, didn't dare to look up, especially as Grantaire cursed silently and stood up, sitting down on the bed next to the boy and pulled him up against his chest. "You will eat now lad." Enjolras oppressed a smile and started to feed Gavroche who thought he would die because of embarrassment.

It was indeed very embarrassing for Gavroche that the medical student Combeferre and Enjolras were the ones who helped him dressing, washing and going to toilet. Although they assured him that everything was alright and just naturally he hoped that he was soon up and about again to do these things on his own. "Where is Courfeyrack? We wanted to eat breakfast together?"

Gavroche missed the worried glance Enjolras and Combeferre switched. Enjolras looked down at the bowl with gruel. Gavroche haven't almost eaten anything from it, although Enjolras tried it to make it relishable to him. "Well you both were asleep so peacefully that no one wanted to wake you, so we decided to make of a breakfast a lunch." He smiled at the child. The latter looked skeptically, "But he will come?" "Of course lad. If you're done, then you should lie down again." Grantaire stood up and went into his own bed.

"Gavroche, Grantaire is right, you should sleep a little bite until 'Fey will come." "But I am not tired anymore." "Not again Gavroche. We won't discuss it." He tucked the blankets around the boy and wanted to leave as he felt a tugging at his sleeve.

"Please don't leave me here alone." Gavroche looked up at him with his big, sad eyes that Enjolras hearts melted away. He sighed and sat down on the bed again. "Gavroche you're alright. No one will hurt you here, you're safe." "Don't leave me." "I am not going anywhere." So he stayed at the boy's side and squeezed his hand softly. "Enjolras," the child whispered, "I am sorry for what I said to you. I didn't mean to." The student looked down at him astonished but somewhat happy that the child apologized to him. And the guilt for almost beating Gavroche spread out in his body.

"I am not angry at you Gavroche. And…I am sorry for the way I threat you. I didn't mean to raise my hand at you. You're a fabulous boy, no matter what." He smiled and ruffled the boy's hair carefully. "So 'ou're 'ot angry at me 'more?" It was difficult to understand the boy, because his voice was thick with sleep. "No son. How could I?"

* * *

The next time Gavroche awoke as he felt someone stroking his head and saying softly his name. First he wanted to turn around, banishing that cruel person, who woke him up, but then he recognized the voice and stood up right away. A movement he paid with a pulling pain in his stomach.

"Courfeyrack?" "Hello ma petit! Are you still sleepy?" Gavroche was never so happy to see his face again and he threw himself in the older man's arms. "Woah! Easy kiddo. I promised you that I would come, didn't I?" Gavroche nodded and smiled at his 'big brother'. How he missed the cheeky smile and his brown locks, so similar to his own. He trusted Courfeyrack with all his heart and would have done everything for him, just to be close to him.

"I thought that I couldn't risk anyone screaming at you again, so I came to you this time!" He laughed although he couldn't banish the pain out of his eyes completely. Enjolras and Grantaire mustered him worriedly. "Thank you 'Fey. I missed you so much." "I know kiddo, come on move over, we can have lunch together." Combeferre helped his friend to settle down in a comfortable position for both of them and Courfeyrac pulled Gavroche at his side to support him.

"I hope you're really hungry kiddo. You need to go back to your usually annoying self." The child laughed and pressed his head against his older friend's side, still smiling. They all had to laugh about that sight, even Grantaire. Combeferre smiled satisfied and started to feed Gavroche, who was still snuggling up to Courfeyrack, but the worry never left his face.

The midday flew away and soon it was afternoon. Combeferre and Joly insist that their sick friend went back to his own bed.

"But I can stay here. Gavroche is better if I am around him." And indeed, Gavroche had eaten almost all of his soup and was now sleeping soundly.

"I know buddy but you have to think of yourself now. Come on." So he was pulled up by Combeferre and was dragged back to his room. Enjolras and Grantaire watched Gavroche in turns and tried to detract themselves from going crazy. As Gavroche awoke in the late afternoon, he was cranky, still very feverish and moody.

"I want to 'Fey!" "I know but you can't kid. I am sorry." "But why? Can I go to him?" "NO!" Gavroche looked at Enjolras with big eyes and scrunched away a little bit. The latter sighed- he didn't want to scare the kid. Why was it so hard to take care of the child, it looked so easily how Courfeyrac managed to do handle the boy.

"Listen kid, Courfeyrack really needed his rest." "I will be quiet. I won't bother him." Enjolras sat down next to him on the bed and lay one hand on Gavroche's head to caress his hair. "You're not a bother to him at all, but right now no one is allowed to see him. Not even me." "Not even you?" Enjolras smiled down at him sadly.

"Combeferre told me that you like books, do you want me to read to you?" The child nodded. It made Enjolras unbelievable happy and leaved him relieved that Gavroche's was in the mood for it and spent the last two hours to read to the boy and to explain the story. As Gavroche felt asleep, with his head on the student's shoulder, he stayed there and thought about their future. He was pulled out of his thoughts as Combeferre entered the room.

* * *

Gavroche couldn't help but was excited that Enjolras offered him to read to him as the matter of fact. He never thought that Enjolras would notice him as much as he did now. It wasn't like he never talked to the boy before, but he left it by Courfeyrack to take care of him or to spend time with him. He was the mighty leader who had better things to do than to take care of a little gamin like he was. But now this Apollo was sitting next to him, laying an arm around his shoulder, and read him fairytales liked Combeferre did the day before. He felt how Enjolras checked him for fever almost every quarter of an hour, but didn't say anything. Soon he started to drift off into the sweet, calming nothing, still feeling Enjolras' protective arm around him.

* * *

Courfeyrack lost every orientation. He was so unbearable hot that he groaned in pain and misery. Although he didn't feel much pain, he knew that he had to thank Joly and Combeferre for this, but he knew that his body would lose the fight.

"Hello my son." He looked up as he saw a figure above him. It wasn't Joly or Combeferre or Dr Lercox. It was Jean Valjean. With an almost fatherly motion he stroked the boy's head, ignoring the sweat and the heat. "Here drink something." Courfeyrack couldn't handle it, the most of the liquid was running out of his mouth. "I'm sorry." Jean Valjean smiled again. "There is nothing to be sorry about son."

Courfeyrack looked up again. "Thank you Monsieur. For everything. You saved our life." Jean Valjean stroked him again so fatherly that for one short moment Courfeyrack thought that his own father would have been here sitting with him. How he craved for his parents and his big sister. But they would live and someday there life would go on- even without him. And for that he was happy.

"I won't make it right?" He already knew it but he wanted to hear it from someone who wasn't his friend, who wouldn't glamorize the fact. Jean Valjean looked down, he didn't know what to do first but then he decided to tell him the truth. He nodded and Courfeyrack couldn't help but tears were streaming down his face.

"I know son. I know. But you don't need to be afraid. You will be with God and you won't be alone. We will be there, everyone, waiting for you." Courfeyrack nodded and smiled shortly. "I know..I just..", his voice broke. "What my son, what do you want?" "It is impossible."

"Just tell me, I will try to help you." "I just want to say goodbye to my friends. To all of them." "Shall I get them?" Jean Valjean wanted to stand up, but as he felt a weak pull on his arm he stayed. "I want to see all of them. I want to see Marius." Jean Valjean sighed. It was impossible to get the injured man to his flat. "I know..He is my best friend...It's impossible. Please tell him.." He stopped as Jean Valjean stood up. "My son I will promise you that you will see him. I will go and get him!"

* * *

"Enjolras.. Enjolras! Would you please come out with me?" The latter looked up and saw his best friend, who looked utterly tired and exhausted, almost as bad as the boy next to him. So he nodded and left the room, leaving the door open to be still able to listen if the boy would awake. "What is wrong? Why are you not asleep 'Ferre? I thought you wanted to lie down for a while?" Then he saw the tears and the desperate in his friend's eyes.

"You need to come with me. It is Courfeyrack. His condition is getting worse and…and.." He turned around to not weep insight of Enjolras. The latter turned him around and took him in his arms. "Enjolras…Courfeyrack..he…he won't survive the night. I am pretty sure. He wants to talk to you about something. He had lucid intervals this afternoon and Grantaire, Joly me and even Eponine had already talked to him. And…And..he wants to see you now, as long as he is able to talk."

Enjolras felt like someone punched him in the chest. Suddenly it was hard to breath and he had to sit down. Combeferre supported him and sat down next to him on the ground. "There is nothing what you or Joly can do anymore?" "No. Dr Lercox was here and..he.." Enjolras took Combeferre's hand in his and squeezed them. The medical student wiped his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Dr Lercox told me that his infection got worse over the last few days. So badly that it got into his blood system. We tried to burn it out, to disinfect it with alcohol, what we did at the Gavroche's injury but 'Fey…Fey didn't react." Enjolras nodded, wiped at his eyes and looked down.

"Is there anything we can do?" Combeferre nodded. "We tried to make it as comfortable as possible for him. He is drugged with Laudanum and Grantaire cheered him up a little bit. Monsieur Fauchelevant was here and he will try to persuade Marius' grandfather that Marius will come to us." "What?" "Courfeyrack wants to see him Enjolras. He wants to say goodbye. To all of us."

They both were silent after that. How could the pain be described if it leaves you numb? Enjolras didn't know. He sat there and couldn't realize that he would soon lose another friend. Courfeyrack was one of his oldest friends, he met him right after he met Combeferre and they both complemented one another. They were so close that if felts like losing a brother. Like a part of his own body. He startled as he saw a well-known figure making his way up to them. It was Marius who was supported by Jean Valjean.

Under normal circumstances Combeferre would have get furious that Marius was walking again, he was still pale and feverish and obviously in pain. But right now he didn't say anything; he just stood up and took his friend in his arms. "It is good to see you again my friend." Marius smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes, tears found their way down his cheeks. "Enjolras," his voice was so weak that the latter pulled him at his side instantly.

"I am glad you're here." "Me too, although I hoped that it would have been…" they all looked down. There was a grief that can't be spoken so Combeferre pulled his friend carefully to the room. "Are you ready?" Marius gave a shaking nod. Carefully Combeferre pulled his friend into the room.

Marius almost didn't recognize Courfeyrack. The active, funny and alert young man lay now down on the bed, looking feverish and tired. He was pale like a ghost, and so weak that he could barely move his head. "Marius?" "Hello my friend." Marius tried to smile beside his tears and sat with Combeferre's help down on the bed and they both sat there with their friends, talking and laughing for one last time like they all did in the past.

* * *

It was almost an hour later as Courfeyrack passed out again and Marius cried like a child. "Come son, you should lay down before we drive back." Jean Valjean pulled him up and left the room. Enjolras wanted to leave too but a softly pull hold him back. He wouldn't recognize it if a softly voice called him by his name. "Enjolras please stay. I..want to talk to you." Courfeyrack looked up with pleading eyes. Enjolras took Marius place and looked down at his friend. "What is it mon amie? What can I do for you?"

"Enjolras, Enjolras…you..you have to promise me something!", Courfeyrack' breath came in in shaking gasps. He cried and it hardened his breathing. "Everything my friend." Enjolras took his friend's hands in his and squeezed them.

"You..you have to..you have to promise me, that..that you will take care of 'Vroche! Please!" Enjolras rested his forehead against his friend's. "Stop saying something like that 'Fey. You're gonna be alright." "Please Enji..Promise me." Enjolras looked down straight into his eyes. "I swear to everything I believe in and to our brotherhood that I will take care of him." "Like if he would be..your..your own son?" Courfeyrack needed that affirmation. "I will take care of him like he is my own flesh and blood. I promise you Courfeyrack!"

Enjolras didn't see any sense to hide his tears anymore. They were running down his cheeks, like rain on glass. Courfeyrack smiled at him. "You know..what..is most ironic?" "What?" "I..I wanted to adopt him. I wanted to give him…a home..right after the revolution and my graduation. I wanted him to live with me." Courfeyrac's sob were bored straight into Enjolras heart.

"I am so sorry my friend. I am so sorry, everything is my fault!" "No..it was an hour to fight at your side Enjolras, my friend. You are the bravest.. and strongest man I know. You have to go on." Courfeyrac smiled at him despite his tears. Enjolras sobbed helplessly and laid his forehead against his friend's. "Please..stay strong my friend. Stay with us. Gavroche needs you so much more than anyone of us."

"I..I..know that you will..do great..you was always his idol…He will trust you..and will love you like a father. I trust you." He smiled again despite his pain and laughed. "Please 'ferre, I know that you're..probably..against it but..I want to see him..just one last time..please." Combeferre nodded and wiped his tears away. "I will get him." Grantaire made his way out of the room.

* * *

"Gavroche..'Vroche wake up kiddo." The child was awake within seconds and knew right away that something was off. Grantaire never called him 'kiddo' before, it was odd. Then he saw the tears and the sadness in his eyes, which couldn't be wiped away.

"What's wrong?" "You have to come with me now kiddo. Come." With the most careful touch he took the boy in his arms and held him close, trying not to touch his bonded stomach. "Is it about 'fey?" Gavroche started crying almost automatically.

The student couldn't look him in the eyes and carried him out of his bedroom. In front of the next door he held in. "Courfey..Courfeyrack wants to see you, you know. And you..you have to be very strong now Gavroche. Can you do this? Can you be strong 'Vroche?"

The latter nodded and his lips trembled. Grantaire wanted to say so much more to comfort him but he didn't know what. Every word he was thinking of was not right. They didn't fit, they never would. So he just held him closer and entered the room.

Gavroche couldn't see anything first. Everything was so blurred because of his tears. He recognized that the room was very dark, beside the few candles that were burning and the sad, smothering atmosphere. He didn't saw the others; the only one he recognized was Courfeyrack who lay on his bed, pale like a piece of unwritten paper.

He smiled as he saw Gavroche: "Hello mon petit." Grantaire sat the child down on the bed and left with Enjolras, Joly and Eponine the room. Only Combeferre stayed in the corner to give them some space.

" 'fey", Gavroche sobbed. "You 'ave to be well. What is 'rong?" Combeferre pulled the child closer. " 'Vroche my son..you have to listen to me now..I love you my son..and nothing..can ever change that..but I fear that I won't be here much longer."

Gavroche starred at him in disbelief, didn't hear the sobs of Combeferre in the corner. "What? What are you 'alking about? Of course you're here." The student smiled and pulled him closer. "I know it is hard..to understand..but I think..that I won't be able..to..to to take care of you much longer. But I swear to you..that you will never be alone although.. you may think..that you are." Gavroche wept and hold onto Courfeyrack for dear life. As this could help that he wouldn't fade away.

"You won't be alone my son..They will take care of you, they won't leave you. Enjolras will..be there for you and all my friends." "But I 'ant you 'Fey. No one else!" He took the kid as close as he could and cried. "I know..Gavroche but..but," he took the child's face in his hands, looked him straight into his eyes, "you have to promise me that you will be a good boy. That you will grow up and be happy. That you will live your life..alright 'Vroche?"

The child nodded his head, in his small, wounded heart he realized that Courfeyrack, his beloved friend and brother would die tonight. But the last hope griped on him. "Please 'Fey. I need you. 'ease don't leave me." "I don't want to…but..I have no choice..in that matter..I am so..so sorry kiddo.", he stroke Gavroche over his face to wipe the tears away, but it was useless because they were replace by new ones as soon as he wiped the older ones away.

Gavroche turned around to look at Combeferre. The medical student looked down; he didn't dare to meet the insecure, frightened look of the child. "Please you have to help him, please!" "Gavroche..it is alright..it is good." "No it is not. There has to be 'omething!" Courfeyrack smiled again. "I wish there would be, but..some..sometimes there is no way. That's when we have..to let go kiddo."

"No", Gavroche sobbed and hold onto Courfeyrack again, pressing his head on the older ones' shoulder. He stayed there for hours, as he started to drift of to sleep, against his will. Courfeyrack hold him closer and kissed him on his cheek. " 'Fey please don't leave me. I need you. I love you."

The student kissed him again. "It is time to close your eyes now.. mon petit. I promise..that I will always watch over you..Rest your head..I will never..be far away. I love you..you will alaways..be a part of me..is it not a goodbye forever, we will see us again, alright! Do not forget that my son."

Gavroche awoke the next day as he felt how gentle hands pulled him up. As he looked at Courfeyrack he saw that he looked very peacefully in his sleep. A sleep he would never wake up from. Courfeyrack was dead.

* * *

**Ahh, I know that a lot of you will probably hate me now, that I let Courfeyrack die. BUT I warned you a few chapters before that someone might die and I wanted to write it realistic. That every one of all the most famous characters would survive isn't much realistic, so someone had to die. I wasn't sure who would it be, Joly or Courfeyrack. Honestly the story has now more opportunities to grow and to develop. **

**Now to all the readers who decided that they will still following my story a HUGE thank you. I promise I won't disappoint you and the story will have a happy ending, even for Gavroche. And to the readers who decided that they won't read it anymore, I can understand you and a HUGE thank you for sticking with me for so many chapters!**

**Alright I guess I will update in the next few days, until then I wish you a great time**

**Bye everyone**

**Freedom Rose**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hello Guys,**

**I am so glad that you still want to read my story, yeah! :D**

**First: I want to thank all of you wonderful people who followed my story, liked them or left a comment! This means soo much to me, I can't even explain. The story will continue even without Courfeyrack (I know it is hard to imagine) and the remaining Les Amis de l'ABC, Eponine and Gavroche will be happy I guarantee you this…! **

* * *

Gavroche couldn't think he just stared at Courfeyrac's face. He had his eyes closed but the vestige of his familiar smile was still to see. He looked like he was sleeping, but the coldness and disembodied which enclosed him, made Gavroche wanted to leave this place or stay with him there forever. He couldn't decide.

"Courf? Courf? Courfeyrack wake up please! Please!" He didn't realize that the tears streamed down his face and he began shaking Courfeyrack's shoulders. "Please, you can't leave me! I have no one beside you! ' Fey!" But the student didn't answer the boy or smiled at him with his cheeky smile. He stayed cold and death.

Gavroche felt how hands wanted to pull him away from Courfeyrack, how they wanted him to turn his face around but he beat them away. He didn't let anyone touched him. "Gavroche come on, come kiddo." "No, let go of me! Courf wake up, please." His shaking got harder, more desperate and he couldn't see his big friend anymore because tears blocked his sight.

"Gavroche come on son." Someone pulled him with much more harshness away and he saw that it was Combeferre who had his hands on his shoulder, mustering him with concerned eyes, although he couldn't suppress his own tears any longer.

Gavroche beat his hands away and his world around started to spin around him as he recognized that Courfeyrack was truly gone and that nothing and no one could bring him back. He left him in a miserable word without anybody. He was alone again with no one to talk to or no one who would take care of him. He didn't only lose a friend or an older brother, he lost everything.

"Gavroche.. kiddo, listen to me." It was a not familiar voice, but it wasn't foreign to him either. He knew instantly that the voice belonged to Marius Pontmercy. The latter kneeled down in front of him to be on the same height as the child, although this movement caused him a lot of pain, which was clearly to see on his face. "Gavroche, please calm down, look at me."

He wanted to turn his chin around so he could look him in the eyes but this was the ultimate overkill where Gavroche turned into a little devil. With all power his little, hurt body could bring he started to hustle him away. "Get you 'ands of me, Pontermcy!"

"Whoah calm down, what's wrong with you?" It was obviously the worst question Marius could questioned, because Gavroche started to scream: "You dare to ask me what is 'rong? You bastard you hurt 'Ponine! It is your fault that she is hurt and…that she may die as well just like Courf," he broke out into sobs and looked so miserable that Marius couldn't be angry at him, instead he wanted to pull Gavroche to him but the child beat him with all his power in his face, so hard that Marius' nose started to bleed.

He heard several voices screaming at him, but then he didn't care about anything, so he wanted to rush to Marius and wanted to beat him again, but a hand caught his in action. The grip was strong and determinate, didn't lose his grip at all. As he looked up he saw that it was Monsieur Fauchelevant who wanted to pull him back away from Marius. Gavroche wasn't afraid of Monsieur Fauchelevant, he didn't care about anything right now. His only passion was to hurt Marius as most as possible.

"Gavroche, I swear that I didn't want this at all, I swear! I didn't know what 'Ponine wanted to do!" "Liar! She wanted to save your damn life, so she threw herself in front of the bayonet, because she loves you! But you..you," his sobbing got harder, "you were too busy with your stupid Cosette to notice, you used her for your ridiculous, slimy letters you bastard!" "Gavroche I didn't know, I swear! I would have done everything to save her!" "You're a stupid liar! I hate you Pontmercy, I wish that you would have been shot instead of Eponine, instead of Courfeyrack!"

Gavroche slumped down into tears and Monsieur Fauchelevant wanted to pull him back, wanted to comfort him, beside those nasty words he said, he knew that the boy said them in unbelievable pain and sorrow and probably didn't mean anything of it. But the child didn't want to be comforted, not by him, and he kicked the man at his shin.

At this time as Monsieur Fauchelevant tried to suppress a curse, because of the pain, he saw how Enjolras made his way to them both. His face was emotionless and stony, but he knew that it was only a mask, because he saw him crying silently tears as he saw how Gavroche wanted to wake a lifeless Courfeyrack. With a raw and determinate movement he pulled the boy to him and first Monsieur Fauchelevant thought that he would beat him and wanted to say something, but the only thing Enjolras did was to pull the child to his chest and to carry him out of the room, to leave them all behind, to leave the scene.

Gavroche didn't say anything or moved at all, he gave into Enjolras' squeeze and lay his head against his shoulder, cried his heart out and cradled onto the older one for his miserable life. Enjolras was silent, he hold Gavroche close, like never before and walked the room up and down slowly; rocking the boy softly just to let him know that he was not alone in his grief and allowed himself to let his tears fall.

* * *

**Okay…this was pretty short but I thought that a after the long and very emotional last chapter this one can be a little bit shorter. I hope you liked it and please leave a review I just love to read them**

**Bye everyone**

**Freedom Rose**


	22. Chapter 22

Enjolras looked down at the child in his arms. Gavroche felt asleep after he cried, so it seems, for hours on his shoulder. The pure exhaustion from crying and his bad physical condition dried him so much that he hid himself even further into Enjolras' embrace. Enjolras didn't know what to do, his whole heart cried for Courfeyrack but he couldn't do anything, he didn't cry anymore, he wasn't shaking anymore he just stood in front of the window and looked at the sky, with his whole heart he hoped that their friends would be there, waiting for them until it was time on their own to go on their next journey.

He looked down at the child again. He didn't know how to go on, what shall he do? He never thought about being the responsible one for a child. He wasn't sure if he even wanted to have children. He didn't care about the ordinary way: Study, getting a job, marrying a beautiful woman, grounding and raising a family. It wasn't important for him; he had the revolution, what would have come after that..well that would have come, but not that Enjolras cared about anything at all.

But now he promised his friend on his deathbed that he would take care of Gavroche. He couldn't break that promise; it was Courfeyrack's last wish. _But why me? Why not Combeferre or Joly? I wasn't made for children; they didn't seem to like me at all_. Yes, Gavroche clung at him for the last three days they were here but that was only because he hadn't have Courfeyrack at his side, he never would have him at his side again now.

He needed someone who would take care of him and Enjolras did it with good grace, because he felt useful and was glad that he could help in some way, but he never thought about it doing it on a regularly basis now. He wasn't sure if he wanted this. But then as he watched Gavroche's face in his sleep, the drying tears and the helpless and desperate look he had even in sleep, he felt the urge to protect him, to shield him from harm, but he wasn't sure if HE was the right person to do so. Carefully he lay the child back into his bed, took the blanket and tucked him in without waking him up. He had to talk to Jean Valjean.

* * *

Gavroche blinked as he felt how someone stroke over his forehead as to check for fever. He blinked again and saw that it was Eponine who sat next to him on the bad, smiling sadly down at him and cooled him down with a wet cloth.

He wondered why Eponine looked so sad and then everything came up to his mind again. The last night, Courfeyrack, the awakening just to see that his big brother was dead, the fight with Marius and how he punched him in the face. Almost instantly tears were streaming down his face and he tried to suppress a sob but it was too late.

"Oh Gavroche my dear brother. I am so, so sorry!" Eponine wanted to comfort him, to pull him in a hug but Gavroche backed off. He loved Eponine with all his heart but he didn't want to be touched right now, didn't want to be comforted.

"Gavroche please, I know how you're feel…" "No you don't! No one does!" Gavroche beat her hands away. "Gavroche of course I do. After I lost Marius I…" "He is a bloody bastard, who doesn't deserve you!" Gavroche was now openly crying. "Please Gavroche do not say something like that, Marius is a kind friend of mine."

"He used you..and..and..you're still defending him!" "Marius didn't know that I loved him. We talked about that, while you were asleep sweetheart and it was not easy at all but we are fine again. I guess I am not in love with him anymore." Eponine smiled sadly. Gavroche looked at her and Eponine was startled at the hate in her brother's eyes. It didn't fit him.

"Please Gavroche. Please talk with him, Marius is blaming himself for hurting me so badly; he didn't mean any of it." "I will never want to see him again, he shall rot on hell!"

"Gavroche!", Eponine looked at him aghast. "Gavroche, I know you're hurt and I understand that you are angry at Marius, but you have to forgive him, that's the only way you can live a happy life!"

But Gavroche didn't want to live a happy life, how could he after everything that happened, after Courfeyrac's death and after everything in general? "And it wasn't alright either that you beat him. Maybe you should apologize to him later.", Eponine whispered softly and wanted to wipe some of the tears of Gavroche's face away but the latter backed off again, bumped his head while doing this. Eponine tried to reach him but Gavroche pushed her hands away. "Leave me alone 'Ponine."

These words hurt her much more than she thought they would but she respected the wish of her little brother, nodded shortly and left the room. As soon as she closed the door she heard Gavroche broke into sobs.

* * *

Enjolras sat with Grantaire, Combeferre and Jean Valjean in the kitchen. They didn't talk; they just stared into the fire of the chimney.

Enjolras looked at Combeferre and saw that the medical student had red puffed eyes and Joly was nowhere to be seen. Grantaire needed a drink, much more than any time before but he didn't give in. He owed silently to his lost friends that he would never be an alcoholic again, though he was more impulsive and huffish around every one.

"We need to inform Courfeyrack's family.", Enjolras whispered finally. Jean Valjean nodded. "If you can give me the address I will write them." "Can you..can you ..I want to write them. I know them for years and can you send them the letter please?" Jean Valjean nodded warmly at Enjolras.

"Of course son, of course. But I need to tell you something else…Honestly I don't know where to start but..I think it is time to give your friend the last goodbye." Combeferre looked up; Grantaire looked down, while Enjolras looked out of the window.

A funeral, a funeral for his death friend. It was more than anyone else, who felt in this fatal night at the barricade, had but it was neverless a thought which included anger, grief and unbelievable sadness. Enjolras nodded. "Where shall it be?" "I spoke to Madame Rocha and she and I thought about a place under the roses. They are growing there for more than hundred years and they will still be there for another hundred years. I know it is not much but…" "It is perfect. Thank you." Enjolras went outside with his friends to dig a grave, in his friend's last honor.

* * *

Gavroche didn't look up as he heard someone entered the room, not until he saw Enjolras who knelt down in front of the bed. He didn't say anything; he just looked him in the face and stroke very carefully over his head, before he took him in his arms and carried him out of the room.

Enjolras didn't know what to say to the boy. He didn't found any words, so he just stroke his hand through the child's wild locks and checked for fever in the same motion. He didn't wonder that Gavroche felt hotter than before. The last night had made his effect on him.

Wordless he took him in his arms, he was afraid for a second that he would fighting him off but Gavroche climbed to him, and lay his head on his shoulder, pressed his face at his neck. He grabbed the blanket and tucked the child in it. Before Enjolras made his way down the stairs he spoke directly into the child's ear. "Gavroche are you with me? Hmh?" He stroke gently over the child's back. He felt how Gavroche nodded. "I need you to listen to me now kiddo. We..we need to say goodbye to Courfeyrack now, can you do this?" Enjolras didn't know if it was a good thing to tell him that, but he didn't want Gavroche to leave with uncompleted facts either.

He felt how Gavroche shook his head. "I know Vroche, I know I don't want to do this either, but..", Enjolras swallowed hard, it was so much harder than he thought. He didn't want to do this. His tears threatened to fall down again. "Gavroche we have to do this. And I am here, I won't leave you." He didn't know if it was much of a comfort for the child but Gavroche didn't fight him, at least something good.

He made his way down the stairs and out of the backdoor, where Combeferre stood. He threw a worried glance at Gavroche and went with Enjolras to the place where they shoveled a grave this morning. They didn't have a coffin, but Madame Rocha gave them a beautiful quilt, so they wrapped their friend in it carefully. Grantaire and Combeferre lay their friend in the cavity. As they were all standing in front of their friend's lifeless body, wrapped in a quilt, Enjolras didn't know what to do. He held the silently sobbing Gavroche closer and hoped with all his heart that this would be a nightmare that he could turn back the time that he could make things different, but he couldn't. This was permanently. How he missed all of his friends. How he needed Courfeyrack's sarcasm, how he craved for Jehan's beauty of creating poems, how he wanted Bahorel's black humor. But they weren't there. They would never come.

So he looked at Marius, who leant at Jean Valjean, looking so lifeless, so not Marius like. He even missed his useless calf love for his Cosette. He turned aside to saw Grantaire looked down at his lifeless friend and Combeferre who replayed his gaze, his best friend who always protected the others. He was the one every one turned to if they needed someone to comfort or if they needed a good advice. He was like the big brother for everyone, but especially for him-for Enjolras. He came closer and lay a hand on his back. This single touch gave him the much needed comfort and strength.

"Courf..", he started to speak. "Courfeyrac wherever you are, we..we are missing you so badly.", He desperately searched for the words he couldn't find. "You were the friend everyone wanted to know. So full of light and all your stupid ideas you had. I will never ever forget out time tighter and I wished..I wished that it would have never end. And I am sorry for what happened to you, to all of you." He felt Combeferre's arm around him. "You were the funniest friend we had. I will never forget our time together." He bit down on his lips, and looked at Grantaire as he spoke.

"Yes, I will never forget our dirty little secrets." Grantaire laughed and Enjolras heard how Marius and Combeferre chuckled. "Well keep them when you are in heaven because if you're not.. I will see you in hell, because I fear if they're coming out..we are no longer welcome there."

"I will never forget our time together. You were the one who introduced me to these dorks. And I will be forever grateful for that." They couldn't almost hear Marius' voice, because it was muted. Jean Valjean had to hold him closer, so that he wouldn't fall over. "You were the best friend someone can only imagine. I am sure that we will meet each other again."

"I will never forget the time as we started to study. You were always the one who gave me tips how I can cheat. I swear I would have never made it so far without you." Joly wiped his tears away, smiling at the memory. Enjolras startled as he heard Combeferre's deep calming voice.

"I will always treasure our nights in the Musain. They were so full of light, so humorous and it was like coming home every evening. You my friend..you were one of the most loyal and the brightest friend we had. And we will always keep your remembrance in honor." Combeferre wiped his tears away and Grantaire lay a hand in his shoulder.

"Thank you for your kindness. You were always so lovely to me; you could make me laugh even in the darkest hours. And I want to thank you for taking care of my brother as I couldn't do this." Eponine throw a single red rose on Courfeyrack. Enjolras looked down at Gavroche in his arms. He didn't say a word. "Do you want to say something petit?" Gavroche shook his head. "But I think you should kiddo." Enjolras turned Gavroche, so that he could look at the grave. He didn't mean to upset the child but he thought that Gavroche would regret it if he won't say goodbye to his brotherly friend.

Gavroche looked up and wiped his tears away. He didn't know what to say. The whole scenario was so strange; it didn't make any sense to him. His whole world was shattered and he was afraid of what would become of him. His whole life was buried that day and the dream of a home.

"I..I miss you so much," he started. Enjolras couldn't hear him because Gavroche was sobbing so hard. He felt how his whole body cramped in pain. "I…I love you." He buried his head in Enjolras shoulder again and sobbed helplessly. Enjolras rocked him softly up and down, while Eponine burst out into tears and Joly took her in his arms trying to calm her a little bit. Grantaire and Combeferre threw a last glance at the form of his dear friend and filled the grave. They all wished that they could fill the big holes in their hearts as well.


	23. Chapter 23

**Hello Guys,**

**Thank you soooo much for your assistance and your lovely comments**

**It helps me so much to go on, especially right now where my story became darker **

**But there will be a happy ending for Gavroche, I promise you!**

* * *

The afternoon turned into a grey evening. It fitted their mood. Gavroche lay on his bed, but he wasn't asleep, he ignored everyone around him. Even Eponine couldn't do anything to make him talk to her, or to show any sign of live. As she wanted to stroke him carefully over his head, he was still suffering from a huge headache, he beat her hands away. Eponine stopped trying then but she never left his side. He was staring into nothingness and wished with all his heart to be somewhere else, but he wasn't.

It was around six o'clock as Combeferre came to look after Gavroche.

The boy ignored him and Combeferre knew that it wouldn't be everything. As he wanted to push the child's fringe away to check for fever Gavroche beat his hand away, "Easy kiddo I just wanted to check your fever. It is higher than before. Are you in any pain?"

Gavroche ignored him and the medical student sighed. He knew that it wouldn't be easy for all of them, but Gavroche wasn't helping right now. "Gavroche, listen child, I only want to help you. I need to check on you, I don't want you to get worse." "Get away from me."

It was only a whisper, only a soft and small sound from his usually cherishes one and Combeferre could fell his heart cringe of all the sadness in it. "Gavroche let me help you." He wanted to turn Gavroche on his back so that he was able to look at his stomach, but Gavroche beat at him again, this time with more power.

Combeferre took the child's hands in his own, which were so much bigger and pressed them down, try to ignore his whimpers. "Stop this." His voice was clear and calm but he could hear the strictness out of the voice.

"Let go of me, I don't need your help!" The medical student had to listen closely because Gavroche's voice was barely more than a whisper, but the words still hurt him. "I disagree with you, young Theandier." He couldn't keep out the sarcasm in his voice. As he tried to pull his shirt up Gavroche started to turn and to twist himself out of the medical student's grip. "Let it be Gavroche! Stay down!"

"Back off!" Gavroche wanted nothing more than to be alone but Combeferre's hold was too strong and he couldn't shake his hands off. He was so unbearable hot again, he was dizzy and sick. He knew that it wouldn't be better, because Courfeyrack wasn't here anymore. He was the only one who would have made it better again, but it couldn't be. He was lost. And then after the manhandling became too much he started to get sick.

Fortunately Combeferre had seen this coming; he knew that this struggling wouldn't help Gavroche's already sensitive stomach. He grabbed the bucket and held it under Gavroche's face. "You see..that happens if you're not listening to me!", despite his slightly anger towards the boy he couldn't help but felt miserable for him. He had lost his only father figure in his poor miserable life and on the top of it he was so injured that he still fears for his life.

But even then Gavroche was still fighting him so hard the he almost felt out of his bed. "Let go of me Combeferre!" But the latter grabbed him and pulled him back with more force, try to ignore the boy's struggling and held him close to wipe his mouth clean.

"Get rid of you!" Gavroche tried with all his remaining power to push himself of Combeferre but he couldn't. His grip was to strong and Gavroche's power seemed to left him, he was still too weak to even walk by himself. The medical student took him carefully in his arms and lay him back down onto the bed.

"Is there anything else you want to say Gavroche?" Combeferre looked him in the eyes, but Gavroche tried to turn his head away. The student sighed deeply. "Gavroche listen kiddo..I know that you're feeling upset and sad and that you're hurt in the most hardest way someone can get hurt but..you have to stop this here. You're hurting yourself and Courfeyrack would have never wanted that!"

"Stop telling me what Courf..what he wanted! You can't now that!"

"Kiddo I knew him a little bit longer than you did, but that's not the point here. He wanted you to be soon healthy again but if you're keeping resisting me, I can't help you."

"That's fine, 'cause I don't want your help." "Gavroche!"

Both heads turned around, and Gavroche flinched a little bit as he saw Enjolras came in his room. He looked slightly angered at the boy.

"What's going on here? Why are you screaming at Combefere?" He stood at the end of the bed, trying to catch the boy's view, but he looked down. "I don't need any help!"

Enjolras bristled with slightly anger. He was not in the mood to deal with a rebellious Gavroche.

"Gavroche I won't discuss it with you, you will listen to Combeferre and that's it." He came closer and reached out to check for fever, he saw the lightly redness in his face and the sparkling eyes, which looked at him with big defiance. Enjolras felt the heat coming up from the child and frowned. He thought that things would get better but obviously Gavroche had upset himself too much so that his sickness was back.

"Gavroche you can't be a bullhead, not now. You will listen to Combeferre and Joly and that's the end of the story."

"No, I don't want them around me!" "Why are you talking such a nonsense?", Enjolras voice got louder, although he didn't want to sound angry at all. He recognized how Combeferre lay a hand on his shoulder; a slightly attempt to calm him down, but Enjolras ignored that.

"Why would you think something like that Gavroche?" The latter looked him in the eyes and all his grief and anger were to see. "Go away; I don't want you around me! I hate you!"

"Come again?" "You heard me; go away and leave me alone, I don't want to see you!"

With these words Gavroche turned on his other side and shield them all out. Enjolras and Combeferre swapped a gaze and Enjolras wanted to say something to the boy but Combeferre hold him back. "Let him be, he needs time." The medical student pulled his friend away from the grieving boy and out of the room. Gavroche lay there and tears were streaming down his face. He murmured one word: "Courfeyrack."

* * *

"How long said Monsieur Fauchelevant could we stay here?" Grantaire sat next to Joly, which seemed to be deep in thoughts. All of them, beside Gavroche, were assembled in the comfortable kitchen.

"As long as we need to. But I think we should try to move on." Enjolras stand in front of the window, looking out in the darkness.

"Where shall we go?" Joly looked at his former leader, he still needed Enjolras to form an idea, an opinion. "We talked about London or America.", Grantaire said in place of Enjolras.

"I won't leave Cosette. I will stay here!"

"Marius, don't be a fool it is too dangerous!" Combeferre sighed angry, while Eponine looked down. She knew that he wouldn't sound like that if he would speak over her. As she looked up she saw that Enjolras looked at her and smiled shortly before his gaze met Marius'.

"I know Marius; you are not the only one who has to leave someone you love behind. You all have to decide for yourselves."

"But..are we not staying together? After everything?" Joly spoke for the first time since the funeral, Combeferre was worried about him but he knew that it was better to leave Joly behind. It was Jehan who found the right words. "Joly, we can't stay together..It is time to move on, for all of us." Enjolras sat down on the chair next to Eponine.

"And what if..what if we would all go…to America." They looked up at Eponine. She blushed and continued. "I mean..in America we would be safe..No one knows us there and we can start new, on the street the people tell that you can make it there and that..that it is a good land. They might search us even in London." She didn't dare to look up. "Yeah..this girl is right. I would vote for America." Grantaire twinkled at her and Eponine blushed harder. She knew Grantaire of the café, but Marius had warned her in time. She never felt for Grantaire's words of love, so they decided to become friends.

"But how shall we do this. We don't have our papers, we don't have our money, and everything is in our flats, so it will be impossible to get out of this city." Enjolras starred at Grantaire.

"Monsieur Fauchelevant will come tonight. We should talk to him and then we will see when we'll go to America."

Gavroche starred in disbelief. He couldn't believe this. America? Why would it be America? He heard how people told him about that continent; he didn't know anyone who went to the foreign side over the ocean. And he didn't like the idea either, he wouldn't go. His home was the streets of Paris, he had people to take care of, like his boys and he didn't want to leave. But maybe the students wouldn't take him with them, he didn't have the money for it, so it was impossible for him and Eponine to travel. Slowly he made his way into the kitchen.

"Gavroche what are you doing here!" Combeferre stood up this instant, looking at him grimly. Gavroche could feel all of the student's and Eponine's eyes on him. "You want to go to America?" Enjolras sighed; it wasn't something he wanted to discuss with him right now. It was just an idea, he didn't know if this would work, he wanted to tell him that but Joly answered before he could even blink.

"Gavroche it will be nice to live there. I heard a lot of good things and we can't stay here, it is too dangerous."

"Then you should leave, I will stay here." "What was that lad?"

Grantaire turned around to watch him closely. "You heard me, didn't you? I will stay here, I am living here and my boys are here."

"Gavroche don't be ridiculous, you have no one to take care of you and.."

"I don't need anyone. I lived on my own before I met all of you, too!" "But these times lay behind you Gavroche, there is no need to live like that again."Combeferre wanted to calm him; he didn't want to upset Gavroche. "Come on I will bring you back to bed. Why did you wander off either way?"

"Let go of me!" Gavroche wriggled himself out of the medical student's soft grip. "I don't need your help!"

Grantaire laughed. "I beg your pardon? What's going on with you? Has anyone an idea what's wrong with the lad? Did Combeferre give him too much laudanum? Is he high?" Grantaire turned to the others, Enjolras ignored him, and with an unreadable expression he looked at Gavroche, who didn't dare to meet his eyes.

"Shut up Grantaire!" Joly lent forward, while Eponine tried to talk to her little brother. "Vroche please, let it be. Go back to your bed; we will talk tomorrow about everything."

"We won't talk, because there is no need to talk! I won't go with you, I will stay here."

"What a glorious idea lad, and where do you want to live?" "I have a home. I live in the elephant with my boys, and we are lucky, I don't need any one of you!"

"Oh Lord, are you on an I-can-everything-on-my-own trip? But let me enlighten you boy, you can't live on your own, the police is searching for us and they might search you too.."

"Grantaire shut up!"

"No he can hear that! Courfeyrack is no more, you are alone boy, if you're living on the street again. Do you really think that anyone of us would let you go so easily?" "I don't care! I don't want you to take care of me! I hate you!"

"Now it is all of us? I thought it would be only Marius…"

"Grantaire shut the hell up!" Joly starred at him in anger, while Combeferre tried to calm Gavroche down, but the boy beat his hands away.

"Yes I do! It is your fault that Cour.." Gavroche sobbed, "that Courfeyrack died." He pointed at Joly. "You killed him, you were supposed to save him, but you let him die, just like you did." With a strong push, as strong as his little body could manage, he bumped Combeferre away.

"And you," he looked at Marius with a glare no child should ever wear, "you almost killed 'Ponine, just because you used her!" "No, Gavroche no, we've talked about that, it isn't Marius..!" "Yes it is!" He looked at Marius again; the student looked down, deeply ashamed of what he had done. "His action got you almost killed, and you are still defending him!"

"Gavroche stop!"

"No I won't stop," he turned to Enjolras," and it is your fault, too. It was your idea, these stupid revolution killed Courfeyrack and he was your friend and you killed him…" He was sobbing uncontrollable now. Combeferre stopped to comfort him; he just kneeled next to him on the ground, try not to cry as well, either way he looked up as he heard Grantaire's blooming voice.

"That is enough, you will shut up little man or you will really have a reason to be angry with us!" Joly tried to stop Grantaire but the latter was so much stronger than the medical student. But Joly was worried that he would do something to Gavroche that he would dearly ´regret later, Grantaire was grieving for his buddy and he was blind in this state, didn't saw that Gavroche was hurt the most.

He knelt down in front of the boy and shook him slightly. "Have you gone mad? I know that you are grieving; I know that you lost your guardian but we are grieving too. It is not only you who is sad about Courfeyrack's death, he was my friend for more than five years and Marius over there knew him much longer, they were roommates. And what are you thinking that you can blame everyone around you? None of this is true and you know that as much as I do!"

Gavroche starred back with rage in every feature, his mind was numb by grief, otherwise he wouldn't dare to talk back to an angry Grantaire. "Back off, you are just a drunkard, let go of me."

"You can't mock me with your words lad, your words are empty you're just grieving and this is how you're handle it, but you know what: This is wrong and I won't let you offence everyone around you, just because you're hoping that things will get better through this. They won't get better! Deal with it!"

Everyone was silence after that outburst. Gavroche looked at Grantaire's face and tried to cover his hurt expression but the student saw it neverless. The boy recognized that Grantaire didn't let go of him, one hand holding him on his hips to pretend from turning or walking away, the other hold his left forearm, his gaze never left his face. Gavroche had enough, he wanted nothing more than to be left alone but Grantaire wouldn't let him go.

"Let go of me!"

"No I won't!"

"Piss off Grantaire!" "What a language you have, did Courfeyrack teach you that?" It was one sarcastic question too much, because Gavroche raised his hands as if he wanted to beat Grantaire. The latter's eyes narrowed to slits.

"Don't you dare Gavroche!" He accented every single word, but Gavroche beat Grantaire or at least wanted to beat him but failed because the student grabbed his hand before Gavroche could complete his task. As soon as Grantaire had his right hand in his grip too, he turned Gavroche around, so that the child's back was pressed against his own chest. Gavroche fight his grip like a wounded animal, tried to get away of Grantaire but he was just too strong for him.

"Now you will listen to me young Monsieur, you will leave this attitude behind you or I won't doubt to give you a reason to be afraid of me, do you understand me?"

Gavroche ignored his question and tried again to remove himself out of Grantaire's grip. The latter shook him again. "I asked: Do you understand me?" His face was next to Gavroche's and as he felt how the boy managed to wriggle himself of his arms he pulled him back. Then he felt the boy nodding, it was only a small movement but it was enough for Grantaire.

"Alright, up with you then!" He wanted to deliver the boy to Combeferre but as he felt how Gavroche's knees started to buckle he hold him closer, as he saw his face he saw that the tears were streaming down his face. The dam had finally broken and Gavroche broke out into sobs. Grantaire sighed and turned the child into his arms, so that his face was pressed against his chest. "Sh..it's alright Gavroche. It is allowed to cry, it is good." He took him in his arms and with a short nod in Combeferre's direction he stood up with the crying child into his arms and made his way back to the boy's room. Gavroche clung on him for his dear miserable life.

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**Ohh so many emotions**** I hope you liked it, I thought that Gavroche would deal in a very dramatic way with his grief. The next chapter will be about their future plans and about Gavroche/Enjlolras. Thank you soo much for reading it and please leave a review, I love reading your opinions =)**

**Have a nice day**

**Freedom Rose**


	24. Chapter 24

_**Hello my lovely readers,**_

_**Thank you sooo much for your reviews and for all the supporters! I've got over 100 reviews for this story, (I updated it in both Les Miserables sections) and I can't say how happy I am about that! I never thought that my story would turn into something like that, so thank you! I hope you will like this chapter, please enjoy:**_

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Grantaire didn't know what to do. The child hung on him desperately and he cried like he couldn't stop anymore. He rocked him slightly, still holding him on his hips in his arms. "Shh..it is good Gavroche…Somehow everything will be alright."

"No, it won't," he sobbed. How could it be? Grantaire gave him a lightly kiss on his wild mob of curly hairs. "It will be. You're not alone. You don't have to go through this alone. We are all here, not leaving you."

But it was like Gavroche would be numb because he didn't react; his only reaction was to cry harder and that so hard that he started to gasp for air. "Gavroche! Hey Gavroche stop doing this..Vroche!" Grantaire wanted to scream out for Combeferre, as the child started to breath heavily, but the medical student was already there and knelt down in front of them.

Gently he held both hands on the kid's ribcage to check his breath and was relieved that the child didn't fight him this time. "Gavroche you need to calm down. Calm down kiddo." He lifted the kid's face with his forefinger carefully and spoke in his usually calming-Combeferre -voice. "Listen to me Vroche, just breath, in and out." The child's breath was getting heavier with any second. Grantaires' hands started to shake. "Ferre what..?" But the medical student ignored his friend and pulled the child on his lap; maneuver him so that his back leant on combeferre's chest. He laid his arms around Gavroche and started to talk to him in a calming voice.

"Gavroche just breathe, in and out. Do you feel my breath? Do it just like that. In and out. In and out. Just like I do. That's it Gavroche. You're doing fine." Gavroche really tried to copy the breathing rhythm of the medical student, but it was hard and his chest and stomach hurt. "I can't…it hurts.." "I know kiddo, just breath, the pain will fade away, just go on. Grantaire hold his hands!" The latter did was he was told and felt how Gavroche squeezed them. "That's it, good kiddo. You are doing a great job here. Just breathe."

Slowly Gavroche's chest moved in a normal rhythm again, copying the breathing of Combeferre. The medical student resolved slowly his grip on the child and laid his hand on the kid's chest again. His breath was almost normal again, a little his raspy but on the way to be fine. He sighed in relief.

"It hurts." He looked down at Gavroche and nodded. "I know. I will give you something against the pain." He reached down at his shirt and pulled it up a little bit, luckily his wound wasn't bleeding again but the tantrum, the screaming and the walking around didn't help his condition to recover at all. So Combeferre took him in his arms and lay him down on the bed again, to give him some laudanum. "Sleep Gavroche. When you wake up the pain will be gone and you will feel a world better." He wanted to turn away but stayed after he felt Gavroche's little fingers pulling at his sleeve.

Combeferre left the child's side as Eponie came and wanted to stay with her brother. She was still shocked at his outburst but he was her little brother. She would always stick by him no matter what.

* * *

As Combefere came into the kitchen he found it empty, Joly went to bed and Grantaire was also asleep after he asked Combeferre for a sleeping medication. The medical student found his best friend Enjolras in the dining room, standing in front of the window. Combeferre knew his position only too well. He could almost hear his friend's brain brooding.

"You shouldn't think so hard mon amie, it won't do you any good. Not after the last days." Enjolras turned half around. "If you say so…" Combeferre smiled shortly and sat down. "What's going on in your mind?" It took a few moments until Enjolras started talking.

"I guess you know that already." "I might, but I want to hear those words from you." This time it was Enjolras turn to sigh. "It is about Gavroche." Combeferre nodded. "Yes, I thought so.." "The thing is..I..I don't know if this is right..Maybe..it would be a mistake." Combeferre frowned. "What would be a mistake?"

"To take him with me. I should leave him here in Paris..we should find a family who want to take him in." Combeferre was speechless. He thought that the topic would be about Gavroche but not about abandon him. "What? Do you want to leave Gavroche here, on his own?"

"Oh God not on his own, but…you heard him that afternoon Combeferre! He doesn't want to stay with us. He wants to stay here. We can't force him."

"Enjolras you can't mean it. He is a child, who doesn't know what is good for him. He is in pain, he is utterly confused and hurt, you mustn't take it serious."

"I don't know why Courfeyrack wanted this; I think he meant someone else…Why should I take care of him? We..we never really talked before, he doesn't know me, I don't know him. It wouldn't make any sense at all."

Combeferre sighed. He already knew that it would be a hard topic and Enjolras, who has none experience with children at all was extremely overextended with the thought of raising a child. But they couldn't change the situation. "Enjolras I know you are afraid of your task, god we all are, but it was Courfeyrack last wish, you_ have _to achieve it!"

"I want to, but..Gavroche has to have a say in it, too. We can't force him to live with me, he obviously hates me so I won't force him." Enjolras turned around as he heard Combeferre laughing. It wasn't a cherish laughter, like usually, it was dry and mirthless.

"Dear Lord Enjolras sometimes you are surprising me how stupid you can be.", the former leader wanted to say something but the medical student raised his hand. "Let me explain it to you! Gavroche doesn't hate you, contrariwise: he needs and likes you. You have been the one who spend hours at his side to comfort him and it was not me or Grantaire who was able to comfort him." Combeferre stood up and took a place next to his friend. "He needs you Enjolras, but he doesn't know how to show it. It is like I said, he is so utterly confused, he doesn't know what is good for him, he is a child struggling in a world which it three sizes too big for him and he is thinking that he has no one because his fatherly friend died for a few hours ago. He feels alone. He doesn't know how it is that some is giving him a home. He doesn't know what the word family means at all, Gavroche has to learn that and it won't be easy for any of us. Gavroche needs you to guide him, to give him structure and mostly to love him."

"But I have no experience! I don't have any siblings at all. I don't know how to do it!"

"Well, Gavroche doesn't know either how it is to live in a family…you both will have to learn it then." Enjolras sighed.

"Listen my friend, you will do it. You will make it. You are not alone. You have me, Grantaire and Joly. Even Marius is worried about him and don't forget Eponine. I won't say it will be easy or a thing you can reach in a few weeks. It will take years until Gavroche will feel like he has a family but right now it is enough that he will consider it, that he has someone."

"Combeferre, I know you want to comfort me but you heard him that afternoon. He hates me!" Combeferre could smack Enjolras, why was his friend so stubborn?

"Julien Enjolras stop self-pitying yourself! Gavroche is hurt; he would say everything just to relieve himself from the constant pain and pressure he has. He hates everyone right now but it will fade away in a few weeks. Right now he needs us, even if he doesn't want to admit it. You just have to stay with him, comfort him and give him time. You need patience my friend. Patience and love are the keys to raise children."

* * *

It was silent, too silent for Gavroche's like. He didn't like the silence at all. As he looked up he saw that Eponine was with him, she lay next to him on his bed, one arm protectively over his tinny frame. His big sister, she was everything he had now and it hurts him to feel that way. He loved her with all his heart but she wasn't Courfeyrack. Even to think his name made his heart cringe in pain.

For a short second he wondered where the others were, he was used to wake up and find combeferre, the medical student, or even Enjolras next to him. They read to him, told him stories or just lay there and gave him silent comfort, these were the moments he liked but now everyone was gone. He felt so empty. He knew that as soon he was a little bit better they would abandon him. They weren't Courfeyrack and they were happy now to leave him on his own again.

Gavroche sighed sadly and stood up. He was thirsty, on the nighttable stood a mug but it was empty. So he wanted to go to the kitchen, without anyone notice, but the students were busy with themself so it wouldn't be any problem. Very carefully, to not to wake up Eponine he stood up and left the room.

He tried to ignore the pain, but despite the laudanum Combeferre gave him earlier he could still feel a nasty pulling in his abdomen and his wound on his head caused him a lot of pain and dizziness. As he made his way down the stairs he stopped instantly as he heard voices, but sighed in relief as he recognized that the voices were not talking with him, but about him. He could hear Enjolras' and Combeferre's voices loud and clear:

"_It is about Gavroche." Combeferre nodded. "Yes, I thought so.." "The thing is..I..I don't know if this is right..Maybe..it would be a mistake." Combeferre frowned. "What would be a mistake?" "To take him with me. I should leave him here in Paris..we should find a family who want to take him in." Combeferre was speechless. He thought that the topic would be about Gavroche but not about abandon him. "What? Do you want to leave Gavroche here, on his own?" "Oh God not on his own, but…you heard him that afternoon Combeferre! He doesn't want to stay with us. He wants to stay here. We can't force him." "Enjolras you can't mean it. He is a child, who doesn't know what is good for him. He is in pain, he is utterly confused and hurt, you mustn't take it serious." "I don't know why Courfeyrack wanted this; I think he meant someone else…Why should I take care of him? We..we never really talked before, he doesn't know me, I don't know him. It wouldn't make any sense at all."_

Gavroche stood there, speechless for a second. He tried to ignore the sting in his eyes and to break out into sobs. Deep down, he has already known it. They didn't want him. It was simple and clear. Carefully he climbed up the stairs, hit thirst was forgotten, and laid down on the bed again.

He wanted to be alone, he wanted no one around him, the only person he wanted was Courfeyrac but he would never be there again. He was gone and nothing and no one could bring him back. He shouldn't be here. He didn't belong here with them anymore, Eponine as well. These students didn't care about them. They cared about each other, well, but not about him.

Only Courfeyrac showed love and passion, but they let him die. They let Courfeyrac die, his only friend he had. Enjolras, who had these stupid ideas of revolution, but they never came true. Especially not for him, it made things so much worse than it was before. Combeferre and Joly who let him die, because they didn't took care of him enough. And Grantaire who loved his bottles so much more than he loved Courfeyrac. And now as he was finally gone he didn't have anyone else. He doesn't even want to think about Marius.

So Gavroche made a decision that night: He decided that he would run away as soon as possible. It was time to live his old life again; even if it scared him to death and that he wanted nothing more than to belong to someone. But these times were over and the time had come to move on. Alone, all by himself again.

* * *

As it was past midnight, the flat and the people who lived inside came silent and settled down. Gavroche faked to be asleep as Combeferre came to him and Eponine shortly before he would lay himself down. He felt his forehead for fever and stroke him through his hair. Gavroche wanted to beat his hands away, but he didn't want to give up his cover. As Combeferre went out of the room, he waited for another hour and then he stood up once again.

Eponine was still asleep; he gave her a little kiss on her cheek and looked down at her. He hoped that he would see her again; he doesn't want to live without here. He nodded shortly and made his way down the stairs, but it was harder than the last time. He was tired and exhausted and to add that the doses of laudanum faded slowly away. He wanted nothing more than to lie down and all asleep, with the knowledge that everything would be good if he wakes up but he knew that it wouldn't. Not for him. As he made his way down the stairs he reached out for the wall for support, but he was so tired and it was so dark that to coordinate his steps were taking a lot of power of him. He didn't even recognize the black shadow on the stairs.

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**So who will find Gavroche? Or will he really running off just like that…?**

**I hope you liked this chapter, please leave a review and share your opinion :)**

**The story will be over soon, but I want to write a sequel to this story and I hope you guys will like it :D**

**Until next time**

**Freedom Rose**


	25. Chapter 25

**Hello Guys,**

**I am sorry that it toke me so long for updating this story, but I really need to learn for my exams, coming up next week :( I don't know if this chapter is good, it is just a short fluff…But either way I hope you will still stick with me until the end…**

**Bye everyone**

**xxx**

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Jean Valjean came into his flat a little bit after midnight. He talked to Marius' grandfather and found a plan, how he could bring them out of this city. It was about time and after everything they went through he doesn't want to risk anything.

As he entered the house he stood still in the same second, eyes fixing on the steps. He could hear someone walked them down, but the moves were hesitated and slowly. He relaxed as he realized that it has to be one of the boys and as he walked to the end of the stairs he saw that it was a little shadow, trying to get down, and he knew that is has to be Gavroche.

But what was he doing, at this time in the middle of the night? It was about midnight and he knew that the child was still sick, grieving for his dead fatherly friend. He wanted to talk to him, but found out that he would only scare him, and Gavroche standing on his shaming feet on the stairs, wasn't probably a good situation to startle. So he came closer and realized that Gavroche was so tired that he was almost stumbling down the stairs if Jean Valjean hadn't caught him in time.

"Hey kiddo, what are you doing here? You should be in bed." Gavroche was first afraid but as he saw that it was Jean Valjean he relaxed instantly. He liked the older man, as soon as he gave him the letter for Cosette and Jean Valjean gave him a coin for that.

"I..need to go. Things to do.." Jean Valjean looked down at the child and pulled him up, took him in his arms. Gavroche was very light, he hardly recognized that he carried the child, but maybe for a strong man as Valjean it was nothing.

"O I understand, but maybe you can consider your decision after a cup of tea? Mhm?" Gavroche looked up at Jean Valjean but saw nothing but benevolence and caring in his face, so he nodded. "Good, I thought I had to drink it all by myself." He knew that Gavroche was sick, he could feel the heat coming from his body, and he was death-tired but something happened to make him think he should leave, and he has a feeling that it wasn't only about Courfeyrac's death. Something made him stand up in the middle of the night out of a comfy bed, in his sick-feverish circumstance and made him go out of the house. Where were all the others? Probably asleep after everything. Valjean couldn't blame them.

After he made Gvaroche and himself a cup of delicious tea he sat the child on his lap and supported him with one arm.

"So young Gavroche what made you to go out of your bed in the middle of the night?" The child only shrugged his shoulders, but Valjean could see the tears in his eyes. "What is troubling you boy, you can talk to me."

"But you don't know me, why are so nice?" Valjean laughed silently. "Well you don't need to know people to help them, but I think I might know you a little bit by now, after all we were fighting together on the same side, right?" Gavroche smiled shortly and nodded. "So that makes us brothers, friends..and friends can share a secret."

"Promise you won't tell anyone?" Valjean takes his right hand and lay it over his heart. "I swear young Gavroche, that everything stays between us!"

Gavroche was now crying now and Valjean pulled him automatically closer, it was his fatherly instinct, after he did it so many years with Cosette. "I..I have no one here..I am alone..I don't know where I can ….go …to."

"I know Gavroche it is hard, believe me, I lost many people too, which I loved the most, so I do understand your pain. But one thing is false. You have people who take care of you. They love you dearly." "No I don't. They hate me. He hates me."

Valjean looked down at his little charge with a questioned look. "Who hates you son?" Gavroche didn't want to tell him more and Jean Valjean started to realize. "Gavroche I am sure that no one hates you. You know…it is new for them too, not only for you. They love you, he loves you and soon you both will realize that things can be good."

"How can they be good, if Courf..Fey…" He couldn't spoke out the sentence, because he was crying so hard to even think about Courfeyrac's name. "With time my son. With time and love you will heal."

* * *

He didn't know how long he sat on the chair in the kitchen and holding Gavroche, silently rocking him until he cried himself in sleep. As he was sure that Gavroche wouldn't wake up, he stood up and climbed up the stairs, still holding the boy close to him. As he walked into the room where the child usually slept for the last few days he saw that the young woman sleeping on the bed, she was called Eponine, Valjean remembered her very well. How time changed and what you became through the years, but Eponine didn't deserve that fate. If he would have known from the beginning how her life would have turned out he would have taken her too, not only Cosette. She slept so dearly that Valjean hadn't had the heart to wake her; instead he laid Gavroche down, and very carefully lying Eponine next to him. Sister to brother.

As he looked around he saw that on the other bed, the young doctor slept. God knows he needed it. As soon as they woke up, he would tell them about the plans he made. He only hoped that they would agree with him.


	26. Chapter 26

**Hello guys**

**I am so sorry that I couldn't update this story for quite a while, but a lot of things happened and I just couldn't find the time to write, so I am sorry for that.**

**I want to say thanks to all the people who wrote a review or who follows my story, it means soo much to me! It gave me so much motivation to go on. **

**So here we go, I hope you will like it!**

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The dark night faded away and the sun began to rise highly upon the city everyone loves so much.

Enjolras was sitting in the kitchen, watching how the darkness faded and the first morning light flow through the window. He was still thinking about the fight the last evening. He was unsure about what to do with Gavroche. It was clearly that the child didn't want to be there, didn't want to go with him. He could understand the boy- he was not Courfeyrac. But he had to admit that his words hurt him inside.

He never thought that Gavroche would hate him; he could understand that he blamed him. Gavroche was always the boy who looked at him with his huge big baby blue eyes, full of childish innocence. This innocence was gone now, maybe forever.

He should look for a lovely family who would take him in, despite Combeferre's words. Words didn't hold any power for him anymore.

He looked up as he saw jean Valjean came into the kitchen and wanted to stand up but the gently man hold up his palm, showing him to sit down again.

"You are up very early. Can you not sleep?"

"No Monsieur." Jean Valjean smiled sadly at him and took a seat adverse of him.

"I found someone last night." Enjolras looked up. "What?"

"Last night, as I came to check on you, I found a little cheeky monkey who climbed down the stairs." Enjolras sighed, knowing instantly who he meant.

"I'm sorry, Gavroche doesn't listen to any of us, not since.."

But Jean Valjean adjourned him. "No, no son. I didn't mean it as a bad thing. It was sadder. Gavroche wanted to run away, because he was so sad and confused. He didn't know what to do." Enjolras looked down again. The thought of Gavroche running away never came across his mind. He should have been more careful. So many things could have happened.

"I am sorry Monsieur. I will make sure that he won't do something like that again."

"No, no Enjolras. Don't misunderstand me again. Gavroche was not a bother at all. He was just sad and in the need of someone to talk to. He told me that he would feel alone." Valjean wanted to be careful; he doesn't want to hurt Enjolras by him thinking that he was a failure to the boy, which he clearly wasn't.

"Yes, he is alone."

"Enjolras I don't know if I have a right to tell you this and the others would have told you by now, but you should go to Gavroche. He needs you more than ever now. And despite his words, he likes you. You are the hero for him."

"A hero who had killed his father figure. His only chance of a family he ever got."

"That is not true. It wasn't your fault Enjolras. You can't change things which lay in the past. But you can change the present. You can make them better Enjolras."

"How? Tell me how can I make things better for Gavroche?"

"Be there for him. Take him in as one of your own. Don't let him alone in this world."

* * *

Gavroche woke up as he felt how someone gently laid his hand on his forehead to check for fever. As he wanted to open his eyes he felt how heavy his eyelids felt and that his headache was worse. But instantly he knew that this hand belonged to Enjolras, who was sitting next to him on his bed, just looking at him and continued to stroke carefully his locks from his face. His first impulse was to shrink away but he just couldn't. He thought that Enjolras would hate him, that he was a burden to him. But he was here, sitting next to him and didn't make any sign of leaving him soon.

Enjolras wanted to tell something to Gavroche. Maybe he even wanted to scold him for trying to run away, but he couldn't. How could he blame this child here, who has gone through so much? Who lay there so needy and poorly? So Enjolras did something he never thought himself capable of, he laid down next to Enjolras and took the children book from the nightstand, Combeferre had left. Slowly and quietly he started to read to Gavroche, who looked with interest at the pictures in the book, without holding his head up. He definitive had no power to do so.

Gavroche listened to every word Enjolras spoke. He didn't know about what the story actually was, his mind was too tired to function and to understand everything but alone Enjolras' voice calmed him and made him sleepy again. In a natural way like a child does when it wants to be comforted Gavroche reached out at Enjolras, the latter looked at Gavroche and without hesitation he pulled the child closer so that it could rest his head against Enjolras' chest. The last thing Gavroche heard before he felt into a much needed sleep was his whispering words: "Don't run away again kiddo." Both didn't know at this time that a bond, so close, between them was formed that early morning.

* * *

"So we will take the ship the next week? So soon?" Joly looked at Jean Valjean in astonishment.

"I heard that Inspector Javert began suicide. But you still have to hurry. There will be another Inspector who will chase you through Paris and if necessary through whole France. I have no doubt." Jean Valjean was afflicted of the thought what had happened to Javert. He knew him almost his whole life, he was a part of him and this part was gone now. But he couldn't bring himself to celebrate his death he chose. He had sympathy for a man like Javert who always served the law. He didn't deserve such an ending. No one did. But he had no time for grieving. His whole focus was to bring these boys out of town, out of land as soon as possible.

"Don't worry about everything else. There will be all taken care off. You will drive to the harbor city _Brest_ with a carriage. Then you will take a ship to America, where you will live in a house which belongs to Monsieur Gillenomard. Do not worry, we will help you to get a new identity and you can go to university there, you can graduate."

He looked at Combeferre who couldn't help but looked relieved. "The drive with the carriage may be arduous, but the other cities at the coast are too close to Paris. The soldiers may be looking there for you."

"What is about our families?" Joly looked down, everyone could see how much the thought of leaving his beloved town hurt him.

"We will inform them of course. But I am afraid that you won't be able to see them anytime soon. Maybe in a few months they can visit you in America, but for now it is too dangerous."

"My family is having friends near _Brest_. They will help us." Combeferre looked at Jean Valjean who nodded. "I will give you the name and the address before you leave. We can stay there until we take the ship to America."

"So it is settled then." Grantaire stood up and started to walk the room up and down. "But there is one more thing. I want to go back to my apartment before."

* * *

It was still raining and the cold came through every door. Gavroche took the blanket and wrapped it closer upon him. He didn't cry anymore. It was not like his grief was gone now. It was still there. As dark as the deepest night and so huge like the highest mountain. But all his tears were gone now. He just sat at the window and looked down at the garden. He was not allowed to look out at the frontyard, on the streets, but he didn't want to look at THAT part of the garden either. Not where _his_ grave was.

This window gave him a view on the little part of the garden which was filled with vegetable patches and a few flowers. It was enough for him. As he heard the soft knock he looked up and saw Marius Pontmercy standing at the doorway, looking shy and nervous. As soon as he saw him, Gavroche got angry and he wanted to cry again. But he oppressed the urge and decided to get as angry and impolite at Marius as he could.

"What do you want?", he spat.

"I just wanted to talk to you Vroche."

"Well..I don't want to talk to you, so get away you bastard." Gone were the words Eponine told him before. He was angry at Marius and he wanted him to feel the pain he felt.

"Look Gavroche..you know..You are angry at me. And you have every right to be…!" "Yes I have!"

"But please let me explain this to you. I truly never wanted this to happen!"

"Liar!" Gavroche stoop up now and hold his blanket even closer upon his tiny frame.

"No I don't! Gavroche.. Eponine is…was..my best friend. I never had the desire to hurt her. I didn't know it. Otherwise I would have never…!"

"Liar..Liar..Liar!"

"Gavroche please! I loved her, this is true, but more than a sister. I didn't know that she was in love with me. Otherwise I would have never used her in such a cruel way. You are right to blame me. On everything! I deserve that, but I want you to know that. Maybe one day you will understand at least a tiny little bit that I never wanted to hurt her. Do you think that I wouldn't blame me for everything that happened to her? Do you truly believe that?"

Marius looked down at the little boy who sat on the ground in the corner; tears were streaming down his face, although he could see his will in his eyes not to cry. "Gavroche please?" He knelt down and wanted to hold his hand but Gavroche shrank away and ignored Marius' outstretched hand.

"Gavroche I am not asking for your forgiveness. I will never forgive myself for what I did to 'Ponine. I just want you to know that I never wanted this to happen and that I am here for you and your sister, no matter what. Here," Gavroche looked up as he saw how Marius reached into his pocket.

"I…I want to give you this. It…it was Courfeyrac's. It belonged to him. He told me once that he wanted to give it to his son one day and that you were always like a son to him. He wanted you to have this. He loved you so much Gavroche."

Marius sobbed and gave Gavroche a warm, golden thing, who took it with shaky hands. As he opened his hand he saw that it was Courfeyrac's pocket watch. He wore it every day and it was the watch he wanted to steal the very first time as he saw Courfeyrac. It seemed like an eternity ago. Gavroche pressed the button and as the lid of the watch snapped open he saw the intertwined engraving. It was in French and meant _'From father to son with love'_ Gavroche couldn't help but cried merciless at the watch in his hand, which was now his and deep down he might have forgave Marius.

* * *

**So I hope you liked it and please write a review, because this keeps me soooo motivated. Thanks for reading.**

**Bye**

**Freedom Rose**


	27. Chapter 27

**Hello everyone :D**

**After a very long time my story will come to an end. There are only a few chapters left. So I hope you will like this one:**

* * *

"Enjolras you have to be patient!" "I am patient Combeferre! But it is hard to be so!"

Enjolras was holding Gavroche and was walking the room up and down. The kid's fever was rising again and he was in a bad mood. Enjolras bounced him softly up and down, hoping that he could make him fall sleep. Gavroche was very sleepy indeed, but he didn't want to rest, he was unbearable hot and tired, but he didn't want to give in. So he just lay his head on Enjolras' shoulder down and tried to keep his tears at bay, which was very hard.

"Enjolras it is normal that he has a fever, he has a rebound. But he will be alright; his fever isn't as high as it was before. Do you honestly think that he would be up and about in a few days? Not after everything Enjolras. He needs time to heal; I told you that he would be like this for the next weeks!" Combeferre stood next to his friend and stroke Gavroche's sweaty hair carefully out of his face, checking for fever in the same motion. He smiled gently down at Gavroche who lay his head down at Enjolras' neck again.

"Gavroche don't you want to lie down for a while?" Combeferre tried to coax him back in his bed, but Gavroche shook his head and tried to hide his face further in Enjolras's neck. The latter sighed and walked the room up and down again.

* * *

"Then let us go tonight! And then we will go straight back and we can go ahead to America the very next day!" "Grantaire, we can't go tonight! You are not up and about and Gavroche..!"

"Joly I am fine! And Enjolras can stay with Gavroche, so he won't be alone! We will only stay a few minutes just long enough to get a few things and then we will go away." A strange urge of atmosphere of departure was spreading out and Grantaire was prone to it. "Is it so important to you to get your things out of it?" Combeferre looked at the former art student.

"I have a few very treasured things I want to keep 'ferre." "We all have but are they worth the risk?" Grantaire nodded and looked at Combeferre like he was insane. "Yeah!"

"But we can buy new things 'Taire. Monsieur Valjean promised to help us." "But there are thing you can't buy new!" Joly became silent. He knew that Grantaire was talking about his remaining keepsakes of his dead little sister.

"You know you don't have to go, but I will. And I swear that I wouldn't bring any one of us in danger." Combeferre nodded and smiled at his friend. "Don't worry. I will go with you. And then tomorrow we will go straight to the meeting point and travel out of the city."

* * *

"I don't want to go to Ameraca!" "Vroche, sweetie, it is called America and you will like it there! I am sure!" "No! I will stay here!" Gavroche sat on his bed, cross armed and looked angry at Eponine who tried to coax him to agree with their plan. The kid was tucked in bed, Enjolras himself did it, hours ago, before Gavroche woke up from another nightmare and the whole procedure started again. He could carry him until his arms hurt or he could bouncing and rocking him up and down, Gavroche didn't want to fall asleep, because he was afraid of the pictures and voices he would see and hear in his sleep. Enjolras understood him, but right now it was important that his fever would go down, otherwise the travel would be a hell for all of them.

"You can't force me to go!" "Gavroche I thought we would have put it behind us?" Enjolras took a place on his other side and tried to pull him down in a laying position again, but the kid pushed his hands away.

"No, I never agreed to anything you guys told me!" With pleading eyes he looked up at his new guardian but Enjolras stayed grimly. "Gavroche I…WE won't let you here alone. You will come with us. End of story." He pulled the child in a laying position and tried to ignore the tears in his charge's eyes. It was very hard so he wiped them softly away and took both of his hands in one hand, while he tried to hold Gavroche's legs down, which started to struggle his blanket away.

"Gavroche you will see things different tomorrow. You are so tired and needy; you just want to sleep now. Please give in, you need your rest." But the child shook his head and as Enjolras saw how Gavroche stiffened he followed his gaze. He saw Marius standing in the doorway and usually he was happy to see his friend back again but right now he had hoped that Marius would just have waited until the child had fallen asleep.

"I came with Cosette. She wanted to meet all of you, before…" Enjolras smiled at him and nodded. "I will come in a minute. The little rascal has just to fall asleep before." Gavroche tried to kick Enjolras with his feed but the latter pushed his leg down before Gavroche could reach his target and send him an angry glare. "It won't change a thing, I won't go with you! I have things to do!" Gavroche wanted to stand up but hissed in pain as he tried to stand up too quickly and Enjolras' patience ran out.

"Enough Gavroche!" His tone was icy like the sea they would soon see and his gaze was iron and angry. As soon as he saw the tears in the kid's eyes again he regretted his tone. Gavroche was just tired and confused; he shouldn't have lost control like that. He shouldn't have screamed at him.

Again he wiped the tears softly of his cheeks but it was useless because he was crying again and Enjolras knew if he wouldn't acting soon Gavroche would be in his shell again. He sighed and reached out, sitting Gavroche on his lap and let the kid snuggle with him. "It is good 'Vroche. It is good. It will be alright. You are alright." Enjolras rocked him again, hoping that Gavroche would soon cry himself to sleep, but it didn't look like that. "But I can't leave them!"

"Who can you not leave 'Vroche?" Eponine caressed his back carefully. "My..My..My boys!" "Maybe I can help with that." Marius came closer, looking almost shy. He didn't dare to take a place next to Eponine, although the airs was cleaned between them, instead he took a place on the other side of the bed.

"I..I will stay here in Paris with Coesette and her father.." For a few days this would have break Eponine's heart but in a whimsical kind she didn't feel anything by his statement. Maybe sadness of losing a good friend, but she knew that it wasn't a good-bye for a very long time. "I can look at your boys Gavroche. I swear that I wouldn't leave them alone. I will give them food and clothing and blankets in the winter. They will have everything they need." Gavroche resolved his head of Enjolras' chest and looked at him for the first time without hate in his eyes. "Really?" Marius nodded and smiled at him. "I promise Gavroche!"

* * *

"So it is clear then. Combeferre and I will go at midnight back to our flats: First to mine, then to Joly's and then to yours. Luckily you share yours with Enjolras's." Combeferre laughed silently. They all agreed that Enjolras would stay with Gavroche, although he wanted nothing less than to leave his friends alone, but he had the kid now and he couldn't leave Gavroche behind, not now. "Let's just hope that no one will see us and we can go back without being discovered.

**So…hopefully they will make their way back without any troubles… **

**Thanks for reading and all your lovely comments! And if you want to please write a review or a pm if you want to share ideas**

**By everyone**


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